A Tibet activist group says a young Tibetan man set himself on fire Saturday to protest Chinese rule in the region.

London-based Free Tibet said Sunday that 19-year-old Norbu Dathul – a former monk – set himself ablaze just before noon Saturday in the main market of Ngaba Town in eastern Tibet.

The group said the man called for the return of exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama and freedom for Tibet before he set himself on fire. Police quickly put out the flames and took the man away.

Free Tibet said he was the eighth Tibetan to set himself on fire since March.

The U.S. State Department said last week that Washington is concerned about recent self-immolation of Tibetan monks, and the clear anger and frustration this trend represents. Washington has repeatedly urged China to respect Tibet's unique religious, cultural and linguistic identity.

China routinely rejects criticism of its treatment of minorities, calling it interference in its internal affairs.