Tally of Terror
I'm trying to figure out how many terrorist attacks have taken place since the attack on Paris last November. I'm now counting back to the day before the Paris attack, when a Shia neighborhood was attacked in a Beirut suburb.
"Terrorist attack" here means attack by non-state or pseudo-state actor (not an organized internationally recognized government) on soft targets (civilians, esp. foreigners/tourists) with intention of inflicting mass casualties (not a targeted assassination), instilling fear in general population-- the "nowhere is safe, no one is safe" lesson. Arguments could be made for bombings by states to be considered terrorist attacks, but for simplicity's sake they are left off here, since they usually are not included in accountings of terrorist attacks.
ISIS is used here, but in source materials it is referred to as ISIL Islamic State, and by other names.
It looks like ISIS takes credit in incidents where the government suspects other actors, and in other incidents the government blames ISIS but ISIS doesn't take credit, so claiming and assigning responsibility is a complex thing.
Two incidents are being circulated in a list of terrorist attacks in a Facebook graphic that on closer examination were an assassination of military leaders (Yemen) and an attack on a police station (Libya). A lot of people died in those attacks, but the attacks were not on "soft targets" as I understand it. I deleted an incident I had in my first list because it was an attack on presidential guards (Tunisia).
===TERRORIST ATTACKS - NOVEMBER 2015 TO MARCH 2016 SO FAR
No. / City, Country - date, death toll / who was targeted, if known / who took credit or was blamed for the attack
19. Lahore, Pakistan - 27 March 2016,* min. 69 dead/ Members of the Christian community who were celebrating Easter/ Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Jamaatul Ahrar (TTP-JA) took credit [*added 27 March]
18. Iskandariya, Iraq - 25 March 2016,* 30 dead/ crowd after local football game including town's mayor/ nobody took credit, ISIS suspected [*added 26 March]
17. Aden, Yemen - 25 March 2016,* min. 26 dead/ security checkpoints/ ISIS took credit [*added 26 March]
16. Brussels, Belgium - 22 March, 2016, min. 31 dead/ airport and metro stop in front of European Union institutions/ ISIS operative involved, but ISIS didn't take credit (no group has yet as of 23 Mar, '16)
15. Istanbul, Turkey - 19 March, 2016, min. 4* dead/ busy time on central shopping street in front of the district governor's office/ bomber linked with ISIS, but ISIS didn't take credit [*tally of dead corrected from 5 to 4 on 26 March, death toll doesn't typically count the perpetrator, so I'll maintain that protocol]
16. Maiduguri, Nigeria - 16 March 2016, 22 dead/ mosque at start of worship time/ attributed to ISIS-linked group Boko Haram, but no group took credit
15. Peshawar, Pakistan- 16 March 2016,* 15 dead/ bus carrying government employees/Peshawar has been targeted by the Pakistani Taliban, but nobody took credit [*added 26 March]
14. Ankara, Turkey - 13 March, 2016, min. 37 dead/ "heart of the fascist Turkish republic" (downtown)/ Kurdistan Freedom Falcons, or TAK
13. Grand Bassam, Ivory Coast - 13 March, 2016, min. 18 dead/ Étoile du Sud Hotel and La Paillote Hotel, foreign expats in residence at the time/ Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Al-Mourabitoun took credit
12. Shabqadar, Pakistan - 8 March 2016,* 17 dead/ rush hour at city court complex/ credit taken by Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a splinter group of Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) [*added 26 March]
11. Hillah, Iraq (60 miles from Baghdad) - 6 March, 2016, 47 dead/ security checkpoint crowded with civilians/ ISIS took credit
10. Aden, Yemen - 4 March, 2016, 16 dead/ retirement home run by Catholic nuns (from Missionaries of Charity)/ no group took credit, but ISIS has taken credit for other attacks in Aden, and is presumed to be behind this attack
===FEBRUARY
9. Mogadishu, Somalia - 26 Feb., 2016, 14 dead/ SYL (Somali Youth League) Hotel frequented by government officials and business executives, Peace Garden Park/ Al-Shabaab (linked to al-Qaida) took credit
8. Ankara, Turkey - 17 Feb., 2016, 30 dead/ convoy of shuttles carrying both civilian and military personnel at rush hour/ Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK) took credit
===JANUARY
7. Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso - 15 Jan., 2016, 30 dead/ Cappuccino restaurant and the Splendid Hotel/ Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Al-Mourabitoun took credit
6. Jakarta, Indonesia - 14 Jan., 2016, 8 dead/ Starbucks near UN info center, luxury hotels/ ISIS took credit
5. Istanbul, Turkey - 12 Jan., 2016, 13 dead/ foreign tourists near Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia/ ISIS blamed, perpetrator linked to ISIS, but ISIS didn't take credit
===DECEMBER
4. San Bernardino, USA - 2 Dec., 2015, 14 dead/ rented banquet room where a San Bernardino County Department of Public Health training event and holiday party were taking place/ ISIS praised the shooters but no group took credit
===NOVEMBER
3. Bamako, Mali - 20 Nov., 2015, 20 dead/ Radisson Blu Hotel (Western tourists)/ Al-Mourabitoun and Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb took joint credit
2. Paris, France - 13 Nov., 2015, 129 dead/ 6 attacks at cafés, restaurants and a music venue/ ISIS took credit
1. Beirut, Lebanon - 12 Nov. 2015, 43 dead/ Shia neighborhood, tried to target hospital but couldn't get in, so went for crowded area/ ISIS took credit
===JANUARY - OCTOBER 2015
Airspace over Egypt - 31 Oct., 2015, 224 dead/ tourists on Russian Metrojet plane/ ISIS took credit ( Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant [ISIL]'s Sinai Branch)
Ankara, Turkey - 10 Oct. 2015, 103 dead/ "Labour, Peace and Democracy" rally/ bombers had links to ISIS, but no group took credit
Port El Kantaoui, near Sousse, Tunisia - 26 June, 2015, 38 dead/ Riu Imperial Marhaba Hote, full of foreigners from Europe/ ISIS took credit
Jalalabad, Afghanistan - 18 April 2015, 33 dead/ a bank where government workers collect salaries/ ISIS took credit, but some questions about validity: "Local media said a former spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban had claimed responsibility on behalf of the Islamic State in both Pakistan and Afghanistan. The spokesman could not be reached and his connection to the group could not be verified by Reuters." - would have been first ISIS attack in Afghanistan
Sana'a, Yemen - 20 March, 2015, 137 dead/ 2 mosques frequented by Shiites during midday prayers/ ISIS took credit ("Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant [ISIL] Yemen branch ")
Tunis, Tunisia - 18 March, 2015, 22 dead/ foreigners visiting Bardo National Museum/ ISIS took credit
Paris, France - 7 Jan., 2015, 12 dead/ weekly newspaper that satirizes Mohammed/ Al-Qaeda's branch in Yemen took credit
-
A much more thorough list of all terrorist incidents January 2016 to present
List of terrorist incidents July - December 2015
List of terrorist incidents January - June 2015
"Terrorist attack" here means attack by non-state or pseudo-state actor (not an organized internationally recognized government) on soft targets (civilians, esp. foreigners/tourists) with intention of inflicting mass casualties (not a targeted assassination), instilling fear in general population-- the "nowhere is safe, no one is safe" lesson. Arguments could be made for bombings by states to be considered terrorist attacks, but for simplicity's sake they are left off here, since they usually are not included in accountings of terrorist attacks.
ISIS is used here, but in source materials it is referred to as ISIL Islamic State, and by other names.
It looks like ISIS takes credit in incidents where the government suspects other actors, and in other incidents the government blames ISIS but ISIS doesn't take credit, so claiming and assigning responsibility is a complex thing.
Two incidents are being circulated in a list of terrorist attacks in a Facebook graphic that on closer examination were an assassination of military leaders (Yemen) and an attack on a police station (Libya). A lot of people died in those attacks, but the attacks were not on "soft targets" as I understand it. I deleted an incident I had in my first list because it was an attack on presidential guards (Tunisia).
===TERRORIST ATTACKS - NOVEMBER 2015 TO MARCH 2016 SO FAR
No. / City, Country - date, death toll / who was targeted, if known / who took credit or was blamed for the attack
19. Lahore, Pakistan - 27 March 2016,* min. 69 dead/ Members of the Christian community who were celebrating Easter/ Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Jamaatul Ahrar (TTP-JA) took credit [*added 27 March]
18. Iskandariya, Iraq - 25 March 2016,* 30 dead/ crowd after local football game including town's mayor/ nobody took credit, ISIS suspected [*added 26 March]
17. Aden, Yemen - 25 March 2016,* min. 26 dead/ security checkpoints/ ISIS took credit [*added 26 March]
16. Brussels, Belgium - 22 March, 2016, min. 31 dead/ airport and metro stop in front of European Union institutions/ ISIS operative involved, but ISIS didn't take credit (no group has yet as of 23 Mar, '16)
15. Istanbul, Turkey - 19 March, 2016, min. 4* dead/ busy time on central shopping street in front of the district governor's office/ bomber linked with ISIS, but ISIS didn't take credit [*tally of dead corrected from 5 to 4 on 26 March, death toll doesn't typically count the perpetrator, so I'll maintain that protocol]
16. Maiduguri, Nigeria - 16 March 2016, 22 dead/ mosque at start of worship time/ attributed to ISIS-linked group Boko Haram, but no group took credit
15. Peshawar, Pakistan- 16 March 2016,* 15 dead/ bus carrying government employees/Peshawar has been targeted by the Pakistani Taliban, but nobody took credit [*added 26 March]
14. Ankara, Turkey - 13 March, 2016, min. 37 dead/ "heart of the fascist Turkish republic" (downtown)/ Kurdistan Freedom Falcons, or TAK
13. Grand Bassam, Ivory Coast - 13 March, 2016, min. 18 dead/ Étoile du Sud Hotel and La Paillote Hotel, foreign expats in residence at the time/ Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Al-Mourabitoun took credit
12. Shabqadar, Pakistan - 8 March 2016,* 17 dead/ rush hour at city court complex/ credit taken by Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a splinter group of Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) [*added 26 March]
11. Hillah, Iraq (60 miles from Baghdad) - 6 March, 2016, 47 dead/ security checkpoint crowded with civilians/ ISIS took credit
10. Aden, Yemen - 4 March, 2016, 16 dead/ retirement home run by Catholic nuns (from Missionaries of Charity)/ no group took credit, but ISIS has taken credit for other attacks in Aden, and is presumed to be behind this attack
===FEBRUARY
9. Mogadishu, Somalia - 26 Feb., 2016, 14 dead/ SYL (Somali Youth League) Hotel frequented by government officials and business executives, Peace Garden Park/ Al-Shabaab (linked to al-Qaida) took credit
8. Ankara, Turkey - 17 Feb., 2016, 30 dead/ convoy of shuttles carrying both civilian and military personnel at rush hour/ Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK) took credit
===JANUARY
7. Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso - 15 Jan., 2016, 30 dead/ Cappuccino restaurant and the Splendid Hotel/ Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Al-Mourabitoun took credit
6. Jakarta, Indonesia - 14 Jan., 2016, 8 dead/ Starbucks near UN info center, luxury hotels/ ISIS took credit
5. Istanbul, Turkey - 12 Jan., 2016, 13 dead/ foreign tourists near Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia/ ISIS blamed, perpetrator linked to ISIS, but ISIS didn't take credit
===DECEMBER
4. San Bernardino, USA - 2 Dec., 2015, 14 dead/ rented banquet room where a San Bernardino County Department of Public Health training event and holiday party were taking place/ ISIS praised the shooters but no group took credit
===NOVEMBER
3. Bamako, Mali - 20 Nov., 2015, 20 dead/ Radisson Blu Hotel (Western tourists)/ Al-Mourabitoun and Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb took joint credit
2. Paris, France - 13 Nov., 2015, 129 dead/ 6 attacks at cafés, restaurants and a music venue/ ISIS took credit
1. Beirut, Lebanon - 12 Nov. 2015, 43 dead/ Shia neighborhood, tried to target hospital but couldn't get in, so went for crowded area/ ISIS took credit
===JANUARY - OCTOBER 2015
Airspace over Egypt - 31 Oct., 2015, 224 dead/ tourists on Russian Metrojet plane/ ISIS took credit ( Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant [ISIL]'s Sinai Branch)
Ankara, Turkey - 10 Oct. 2015, 103 dead/ "Labour, Peace and Democracy" rally/ bombers had links to ISIS, but no group took credit
Port El Kantaoui, near Sousse, Tunisia - 26 June, 2015, 38 dead/ Riu Imperial Marhaba Hote, full of foreigners from Europe/ ISIS took credit
Jalalabad, Afghanistan - 18 April 2015, 33 dead/ a bank where government workers collect salaries/ ISIS took credit, but some questions about validity: "Local media said a former spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban had claimed responsibility on behalf of the Islamic State in both Pakistan and Afghanistan. The spokesman could not be reached and his connection to the group could not be verified by Reuters." - would have been first ISIS attack in Afghanistan
Sana'a, Yemen - 20 March, 2015, 137 dead/ 2 mosques frequented by Shiites during midday prayers/ ISIS took credit ("Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant [ISIL] Yemen branch ")
Tunis, Tunisia - 18 March, 2015, 22 dead/ foreigners visiting Bardo National Museum/ ISIS took credit
Paris, France - 7 Jan., 2015, 12 dead/ weekly newspaper that satirizes Mohammed/ Al-Qaeda's branch in Yemen took credit
-
A much more thorough list of all terrorist incidents January 2016 to present
List of terrorist incidents July - December 2015
List of terrorist incidents January - June 2015