article_snippet: Chinese officials have started cracking down on the use of the veil in public, but tensions between the two groups have been on the increase for years.
article_snippet: Many of the group, who have traditionally followed a moderate form of Islam, have also begun adopting practices more commonly seen in Saudi Arabia or Afghanistan, such as full-face veils for women in the face of the crackdown.
article_snippet: Some Xinjiang cities have placed restrictions on Islamic dress, including the capital Urumqi, which banned the wearing of veils in public late last year.
article_snippet: Another official, Shohrat Zakir, said a yearlong crackdown on terrorist activities in the region 'has won wide support from people of all ethnic groups.'