Six people died in explosions and another six were shot dead by police in China’s Xinjiang, authorities said Saturday, in the latest wave of violence to hit the restive region.

Six people died in explosions and another six were shot dead by police in China's Xinjiang, authorities said Saturday, in the latest wave of violence to hit the restive region.

The violence in Xinhe in Aksu prefecture in China's far west appears to be linked to triple explosions that rocked the same area on Friday evening, which authorities said resulted in three deaths.

It is unclear if the three deaths reported Friday are included in the latest tally of 12 fatalities.

"As police were dealing with violent incidents a mob threw explosives," with six people killed by police, five arrested and another six killed as they "committed the offence", the Tianshan news portal, which is run by the local government, said Saturday.

One person was killed after two blasts in a hairdressing salon and market, while two others died inside a car which "self exploded" when surrounded by police, Tianshan said.