Police have detained 15suspects in connection with a south China factory fight, which is said to have spurred the deadly riot in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Sunday.

Thirteen men, including three natives of Xinjiang, were detained for participating in the massive fight between workers at a toy factory on June 26 in Shaoguan City, Guangdong Province, said Liu Guoqiang, deputy director with the Public Security Bureau of Shaoguan.

The other two men were arrested for spreading rumors on the Web that Xinjiang employees had raped two female workers, according to Liu.

The majority of the detained were Guangdong natives.

More than 400 police officers are still searching for more suspects.

Government officials say the factory fight was used as an excuse for the riot in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang, that killed at least 156 people and injured more than 800 others.

(Xinhua News Agency July 7, 2009)