The riot in Tibet's capital Lhasa on Friday has left 12 policemen and servicemen of the armed police gravely injured, in addition to deaths of 10 civilians, a Tibet Autonomous Region government official said Saturday evening.

Two of the injured policemen are critical, said Zhang Yijiong, deputy Party secretary of Tibet Autonomous Region, at an assembly of local officials in Tibet.

"The sabotage has led to great losses of people's lives and property," Zhang said.

According to preliminary statistics, 22 buildings were set on fire and dozens of police and private vehicles were burnt.

A few vandals carrying backpacks filled with stones and bottles of inflammable liquids smashed windows, set fire to vehicles, shops and restaurants Friday afternoon in a plotted sabotage in the regional capital Friday.

(Xinhua News Agency March 16, 2008)