A fresh protest took place this morning in the western Chinese city where at least 156 people have been killed during ethnic violence in recent days.

Around 200 ethnic Uighur women mounted a demonstration as international journalists were being taken around Urumqi to see the aftermath of major riots on Monday.

The women were protesting against the arrest of their husbands during a crackdown by the Chinese authorities in the wake of the riots.

China says gangs of Uighurs attacked police and Han Chinese civilians during Sunday's violence, which was related to the deaths of Uighur factory workers during a clash in southern China last week.

Hundreds of shops and vehicles were also set alight by the rioters.

International spokespeople for the Uighur community say the Chinese security forces prompted the violence by opening fire on peaceful protestors.

Around 1,400 people have been arrested by the police in the wake of the rioting.