The Pishan hostage crisis occurred on the night of December 28, 2011, in Koxtag (Kuoshi Tage), Pishan/Guma County, Hotan Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. A group of 15 Uyghur youths kidnapped two goat shepherds for directions. They were soon confronted by a group of five Pishan policemen, who tried to negotiate for the shepherds' release. The group attacked the policemen with knives, killing one and injuring another. The police shot back, killing seven hostage-takers, wounding and capturing four, freeing the two shepherds. The Xinjiang government called the kidnappers "violent terrorists", while an Uyghur exile group claimed the kidnappers' actions were the result of "police repression".