URUMQI -- Three knife-wielding attackers were seized by civilians and policemen in Hotan Prefecture of northwestern China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region on Sunday, local authorities said.

The official website of local government (www.xjht.gov.cn) quoted information from the publicity department of Hotan that three knife-wielding men rushed into a chess and card room in Yingbin Road at around 5:45 pm Sunday and attacked people.

The civilians fought back and pressed an alarm bell. Hearing the bell, neighboring shop keepers and masses, with guard tools in hand, came to encircle the attackers, it said.

Armed patrol forces arrived at the scene quickly and brought the attackers under control with the help of the local people, according to the website.

Two attackers died, and another was injured and seized. Four civilians were injured in fighting with the attackers, it said.

Further investigation is under way.