Terrorists have brutally murdered the imam of Id Kah Mosque in Kashgar city, south Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, after he performed the routine sunrise prayer around 6 am on Wednesday, the regional information office said on Thursday evening.

Juma Tayier, was a well-respected patriotic Muslim religious leader who constantly condemned those who carry out terrorist attacks in Xinjiang in the name of Islam. He is also the deputy president of the China Islamic Association.

It's not the first time that a patriotic religious leader from Id Kah, the biggest mosque in China, has become the target of separatists.

On May 12, 1996, three people ambushed Aronghan Haji, 76, imam of the mosque, and his son soon after they left their house for morning prayer at the mosque. Aronghan was stabbed 21 times in the head, back and both legs. Both Aronghan and his son were severely injured in the attack.