URUMQI - Police opened fire during a hostage rescue mission and killed seven kidnappers in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region on Wednesday night, local authorities said on Thursday.

A group of "violent terrorists" kidnapped two people in the remote mountainous area of Pishan county, Hotan prefecture, at about 11 pm on Wednesday. Police opened fire when the kidnappers "resisted arrest", a spokesman for the Xinjiang autonomous regional government said.

Seven kidnappers were shot dead, and four others were wounded and arrested. One police officer was killed and another wounded. The two hostages were freed.