In recent years a number of neo-Nazi groups have appeared in Mongolia. They openly admire Hitler, espouse ultra-nationalist views, and harbor hatred for foreigners, especially Chinese, according to Sing Tao Daily.

Mongolian neo-Nazi group Tsagaan Khas ('White Swastika') give the fascist salute on the streets of the capital Ulan Bator. [Chinanews.cn]

The neo-Nazi group Dayar Mongol has issued warnings that it will shave the heads of Mongolian women who sleep with Chinese men.

The rise of these Nazi groups has raised alarm bells in many countries. The US State Department has warned US citizens to be careful when traveling to Mongolia because of reports of attacks on mixed couples, including organized attacks carried out by neo-Nazis.

Nazi groups like Tsagaan Khass portray themselves as patriots standing up for ordinary citizens in the face of crime, rampant inequality, and corruption, the Guardian reported.

But critics say the neo-Nazis scapegoat and attack innocent people.

Three years ago, the leader of "Blue Mongol", another neo-Nazi group, was convicted of killing his daughter's boyfriend because the young man had studied in China.

The 41 year old co-founder of Tsagaan Khass said he admires Hitler because he taught people how to keep a nation united.

But he claimed to oppose Hitler's extremism and the starting of the Second World War. He said Tsagaan Khass accepts Hitler's ideology but is against killing and upholds nationalism but not fascism.

What is hard to explain is how even small groups of Mongols chose Hitler as their idol. During the Second World War, Russian prisoners-of-war who looked like Mongolians were often executed. And recently European ultra-rightists have been targeting immigrants from Mongolia.

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