UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

2011 Report on Terrorism

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

Information available as of March 12, 2012 

was used for this report. 

Office of the Director of National Intelligence 

National Counterterrorism Center 

Washington, DC 20511

Table of

CONTENTS

FOREWORD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Developing Statistical Information 

v-vi

THE METHODOLOGY USED TO COMPILE THE WITS DATABASE OF TERRORIST INCIDENTS . . 7-8

NCTC OBSERVATIONS ON THE STATISTICAL MATERIAL PROVIDED BY WITS . . . . . . . . . .

Overarching Trends

Perpetrators

Types of Attacks

Victims of Attacks

Attacks Against Facilities

9-17

CHRONOLOGICAL LISTING OF TERRORIST ATTACKS CAUSING 10 OR MORE DEATHS . . 

January - Government and Religious Sites Targeted; South Asian Markets Attacked 

February - Bombings Hit Crowds Near Government Institutions and Officials and Businesses 

March - Pakistan Suffers Uptick in Attacks; Lord’s Resistance Army Conducts Kidnappings and Killings

April - Fewest Mass-Casualty Attacks During 2011

May - Complex Attacks Target Military and Police in Iraq, Nigeria, and Pakistan

June - Afghanistan and Yemen Experience Strategically Targeted Mass-Casualty Attacks

July - Large-Scale Attacks in Norway and India; Ten Mass-Casualty Attacks Hit Afghanistan

August - High-Profile Attacks Conducted on British Council in Afghanistan and the UN in Nigeria

September - Shia Pilgrims, Funerals Attacked in Iraq and Pakistan; Blast Hits New Delhi High Court

October - Iraq Continues to Suffer Complex Attacks; Attacks Hit Military Bases

November - Attacks Hit Burma and Senegal; Boko Haram Conducts Wave of Bombings

December - Boko Haram Conducts IED Attacks

19-28

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v

FORWARD › Developing Statistical Information

he National Counterterrorism Center 

(NCTC) was created in 2004 to ensure, 

in part, that U.S. government agencies 

have appropriate access to and receive the 

intelligence necessary to accomplish their assigned 

missions. NCTC is the U.S. government’s central 

and shared knowledge bank on international 

terrorism and, in this capacity, NCTC provides the 

Department of State with statistical information 

to assist it in completing the annual Country 

Reports on Terrorism (CRT). NCTC also uses 

this information to compile its own annual 

NCTC Report on Terrorism (NRT).

Title 22, Section 2656f of the United States 

Code (U.S.C.) requires the Department of State 

to include in its annual report, “to the extent 

practicable, complete statistical information on the 

number of individuals, including United States 

citizens and dual nationals, killed, injured, or 

kidnapped by each terrorist group during the 

preceding calendar year.” In compiling the figures 

of terrorist incidents that are included in the 

CRT and the NRT, NCTC uses the definition of 

terrorism found in Title 22, which provides that 

terrorism is “premeditated, politically motivated 

violence perpetrated against noncombatant 

targets by subnational groups or clandestine 

agents.” (See, 22 U.S.C. § 2656f(d)[2]).

NCTC maintains its statistical information on the 

U.S. government’s authoritative and unclassified 

database on terrorist acts, the Worldwide Incidents 

Tracking System (WITS). The primary function 

of WITS is to provide terrorism statistics to the 

Department of State for preparation of its annual 

report. WITS uses a well-defined methodology 

that involves documented coding practices for 

categorizing and enumerating relevant statistics. 

WITS is accessible on the NCTC Web site, www.

nctc.gov, providing the public with a transparent 

view of the NCTC data. The data posted to the 

website is updated on a quarterly basis, pursuant 

to a rigorous 90-day review and vetting process. 

The statistical material in this unclassified report 

is drawn from terrorism incidents that occurred in 

2011, as reported in open source information. This 

open source material is the most comprehensive 

resource that NCTC can use to compile and provide 

the statistical data necessary to the Department of 

State to fulfill its legislative reporting requirements. 

While open source material provides an 

unparalleled expanse of information, the credibility 

of sources may vary. For example, the ability 

of WITS to provide specific details on incident 

victims, the perpetrators responsible, or the extent 

of the damage incurred is limited by access 

to reliable open source reporting. Moreover, 

incidents that involve few casualties or occur in 

restricted or remote areas may appear in only a 

limited selection of open sources.

NCTC cautions against using attack data alone to 

determine the effectiveness of counterterrorism 

efforts to prevent incidents or reduce terrorist 

capacity. Counting protocols in sorting data 

are necessary but often require the subjective 

judgment of the person or agency compiling the 

data. For example, NCTC dictates that events 

identified as simultaneous and coordinated be 

recorded as one attack. As such, when over 15 

attacks targeting three different cities took place 

in Nigeria between December 22 and 23, 2011, 

NCTC counted them as a single event because 

they were coordinated according to a central 

plan. Other counting protocols may register 

these attacks as 15 separate incidents. 

Additionally, annual comparisons of the total 

number of attacks alone do not measure terrorist 

threat for the basic reason that many attacks may 

cause little harm, while one single attack may 

harm many.

As such, this NRT is provided for general 

statistical purposes only. Observations made on 

this statistical material relating to the frequency, 

intensity, or nature of the incidents are offered 

T
2011 Report on Terrorism

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vi

only as part of the analytic work of NCTC 

and may not reflect the assessments of other 

U.S. government departments and agencies. 

Nothing in this report should be construed as a 

determination that individuals associated with 

incidents have been found guilty of terrorism 

or criminal offense. 

The reader is encouraged to use this NRT as 

a guide to review publicly reported annual 

terrorist activity. Tracking terrorist incidents 

helps to understand important characteristics, 

patterns, and trends that surround terrorism, 

and helps to advance analysis and research. 

The ultimate goal in following incidents as 

they occur, however, is to maintain global 

awareness of the persistent threat terrorism 

poses and the critical need to secure its defeat.

National Counterterrorism Center
National Counterterrorism Center

UNCLASSIFIED

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The Methodology Used to Compile the WITS Database of 

Terrorist Incidents

ITS is the U.S. government’s 

unclassified, authoritative database on 

terrorist incidents. Initiated in 2004, 

WITS collects data from a wide selection of international and domestic open sources and catalogs 

terrorist attacks into the database. This statistical 

information is posted onto NCTC’s website on a 

quarterly basis for public view. 

In order to track terrorism, a clear definition must 

be provided to ensure objective and consistent 

recording. WITS uses the U.S.C. definition of 

terrorism as the guiding mechanism for the 

database. Title 22, Section 2656f(d)[2] of the 

U.S.C. provides that terrorism is “premeditated, 

politically motivated violence perpetrated against 

noncombatant targets by subnational groups or 

clandestine agents.” This U.S.C. definition of 

terrorism is the cornerstone of WITS data entry 

and an incident must meet the provided criteria 

to be entered into the database.

A methodology was established to systematically 

process the vast amount of open source information 

collected by WITS. From 2007 to 2009, annual 

methodology conferences comprised of analysts 

and academia were conducted as a rigorous 

exercise in collaboration and evaluation to 

establish sound counting rules and processes to 

collect and code information for WITS. The result of 

the collaboration was a methodology that permits both 

expansive searches and credible results.1

Terrorists, under the WITS methodology, must 

have initiated and executed an attack for the 

attack to be included in the database. Specifically, 

the incident must have resulted in some sort of 

active, kinetic effect–such as an explosion or 

inflicted injury or damage. Failed or foiled 

attacks, hoaxes, spontaneous hate crimes, and 

genocide are not included. 

The WITS database contains over 85,000 

incidents. More than 90 search fields are in the 

database to facilitate productive and independent 

searches by the user. Key fields, including 

“event,” “victim,” and “perpetrator types,” 

provide details about the nature of cataloged 

terrorist incidents. 

Event types cataloged in WITS include, but 

are not limited to, armed attack, kidnapping, 

bombing, and assault. Some coding is straight 

forward, other coding practices are more 

involved. For instance, incidents involving 

mortars, rockets, and rocket-propelled grenades 

are coded as armed attacks, not bombings, 

because they employ fired weapons. Attacks 

using improvised explosive devices (IED) 

and vehicle-borne IEDs (VBIED) are coded in 

a distinct category under bombing to indicate 

when altered, adapted, or homemade munitions 

were utilized. Information about suicide events 

is also captured.

Victim types cataloged in WITS include, but are 

not limited to, civilians, business people, students, 

military, and police. Victims’ nationalities are 

also recorded in WITS where open source media 

reports such information. The methodology 

presumes most victims to be local nationals 

unless otherwise reported in the press.

Perpetrator information is included in WITS, 

but under select criteria. A group will be 

included in WITS only if it has been designated 

as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the 

Department of State, if it has claimed status as 

a terrorist group or responsibility for terrorist 

acts, or if it has been repeatedly and reliably 

suspected of terrorist activity. When reporting 

provides detailed information, a confidence 

level as to the identity of the perpetrator of 

“likely,” “plausible,” or “unlikely” can be 

1 NCTC does not conduct research other than a review of information contained in open source reporting. NCTC is not responsible for errors and 

omissions in open source reporting. The judgment of NCTC is not intended to be a legally binding determination that an event is a terrorist act, and 

is provided solely as statistical information.

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2011 Report on Terrorism

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cataloged. NCTC may also infer the identity 

of a perpetrator, when none is identified, in 

instances where only one group is active in 

the particular region in question or the 

various attack characteristics match the 

modus operandi of a single group. 

In order to be more analytically useful, the 

database also provides specification with 

respect to the impact of attacks. For instance, 

killed, wounded, and kidnapped figures are 

provided with as much detail as possible. In 

addition, targeting characteristics are coded that 

register violence that appears to target certain 

groups, including cultural, ethnic, or religious 

groups. Where facilities have been attacked, 

damage estimates are listed as Light ($1 to 

$500 thousand), Moderate ($500 thousand to 

$20 million), or Heavy (over $20 million). 

Determining when noncombatants have been 

targeted, as provided in the U.S.C. definition, 

can be challenging. NCTC developed a 

combatant matrix that details the various areas 

of war-like settings and the common combatant 

or combatant-like actors such as military police, 

militias, and soldiers. NCTC utilizes this 

combatant matrix to determine when an act 

targeting combatant-like actors should be 

included in WITS. To remain as accurate as 

possible, the combatant matrix is adjusted 

when circumstances surrounding world 

conflicts change.

In the cases of Iraq and Afghanistan, it can be 

difficult to gather comprehensive information 

about all attacks. For instance, distinguishing 

terrorism from other forms of violence, such as 

sectarian violence in Iraq, is usually complex. 

In addition, over the past year, there was a noted 

decline in open source reporting in Afghanistan. 

Due to these conditions, the WITS dataset 

likely undercounts the number of attacks in Iraq 

and Afghanistan for 2011.

It is important that readers of this report recognize 

that it is based on data collected through the 

distinct methodology employed by WITS. Other 

institutions and parties processing statistical 

terrorism data may employ methodologies that 

yield different results. In addition, while reviewing 

the NRT, readers are encouraged to study all 

statistical categories presented to gain a more 

balanced perspective on global terrorist events 

as they occurred. With that in mind, the statistical 

information provided in the NRT is a comprehensive source of information on terrorism incidents 

for 2011 and can serve as valuable reference.

page 8
National Counterterrorism Center

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

0 1000 2000 3000 4000

2,265

1,436

673

614

424

305

238

189

189

188

158

99

91

52

Afghanistan

Iraq

Pakistan

India

Somalia

Colombia

Thailand

Russia

Israel

Nigeria

Greece

Philippines

Yemen

Turkey

Congo, DR

2,872

0 1000 2000 3000 4000

3,063

2,033

1,101

593

479

305

238

189

189

188

158

99

91

52

Afghanistan

Iraq

Pakistan

Somalia

Nigeria

India

Colombia

Thailand

Russia

Sudan

Philippines

Yemen

Congo, DR

Norway

Syria

3,353

NCTC Observations on the Statistical Material Provided by WITS

Overarching Trends

Attacks, Top 15 Countries (2011) Deaths, Top 15 Countries (2011)

ver 10,000 terrorist attacks occurred in 2011, affecting nearly 45,000 victims in 70 countries 

and resulting in over 12,500 deaths. The total number of worldwide attacks in 2011, however, 

dropped by almost 12 percent from 2010 and nearly 29 percent from 2007. Although the 2011 

numbers represent five-year lows, they also underscore the human toll and geographic reach of terrorism. 

The Near East and South Asia continued to experience the most attacks, incurring just over 75 percent of 

the 2011 total. In addition, Africa and the Western Hemisphere experienced five-year highs in the number 

of attacks, exhibiting the constant evolution of the terrorist threat.

• Africa experienced 978 attacks in 2011, an 11.5 percent increase over 2010. This is attributable in large 

part to the more aggressive attack tempo of the Nigeria-based terrorist group Boko Haram, which 

conducted 136 attacks in 2011—up from 31 in 2010. 

• Attacks in Europe and Eurasia fell 20 percent from 703 in 2010 to 561 in 2011. The greatest decline 

occurred in Russia where terrorist attacks were down from 396 in 2010 to 238 in 2011. In contrast, 

Turkey experienced a spike in terrorist attacks, rising from 40 in 2010 to 91 in 2011. Together, Russia 

and Turkey suffered almost 70 percent of all 2011 terrorism-related deaths in Europe and Eurasia.

• Terrorist attacks in the Western Hemisphere rose nearly 40 percent from 343 in 2010 to 480 in 2011, 

the vast majority of which were ascribed to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

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Trends in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan: Attacks & Deaths 

2007-2011

1 Trend analysis for Afghanistan includes inconsistent source reporting between 15 November and 31 December 2011.

• The number of terrorist attacks in East Asia and the Pacific declined for the fifth consecutive year, falling 

25 percent from 724 in 2010 to 543 in 2011, and 62 percent from the peak of 1,423 in 2007. Thailand and 

the Philippines continued to be the primary terrorist targets in the region.

• The Near East and South Asia suffered 7,721 attacks and 9,236 deaths. The majority of those occurred in 

just three countries—Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan—which, together, accounted for 85 percent of 

attacks in these regions and almost 64 percent of attacks worldwide. While attacks in Afghanistan and 

Iraq decreased from 2010 by 14 and 16 percent, respectively, attacks in Pakistan increased by 8 percent.1

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 

IRAQ AFGHANISTAN PAKISTAN

ATTACKS

DEATHS

6,210

3,255

2,458

2,687

2,265

1,122

1,219

2,124

3,346

2,872

889

1,837

1,916

1,332

1,436

13,613

5,013

3,654

3,363

3,063

1,952

1,997

2,779

3,205

3,353

1,338

2,293

2,670

2,153

2,033

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National Counterterrorism Center

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Deaths Grouped by Perpetrator Type (2011)

Perpetrators

unni extremists accounted for the greatest number of terrorist attacks and fatalities for the third 

consecutive year. More than 5,700 incidents were attributed to Sunni extremists, accounting for nearly 

56 percent of all attacks and about 70 percent of all fatalities. Among this perpetrator group, al-Qa‘ida 

(AQ) and its affiliates were responsible for at least 688 attacks that resulted in almost 2,000 deaths, while the 

Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan conducted over 800 attacks that resulted in nearly 1,900 deaths. 

Secular, political, and anarchist groups were the next largest category of perpetrators, conducting 2,283 

attacks with 1,926 fatalities, a drop of 5 percent and 9 percent, respectively, from 2010.

• Attacks by AQ and its affiliates increased by 8 percent from 2010 to 2011. A significant increase in attacks 

by al-Shabaab, from 401 in 2010 to 544 in 2011, offset a sharp decline in attacks by al-Qa‘ida in Iraq (AQI) 

and a smaller decline in attacks by al-Qa‘ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and al-Qa‘ida in the Islamic 

Maghreb (AQIM).

• The most active of the secular, political, and anarchist groups in 2011 included the FARC (377 attacks), the 

Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) (351 attacks), the New People’s Army/Communist Party of 

the Philippines (NPA-CPP) (102 attacks), and the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) in Turkey (48 attacks). 

Neo-Nazi/Fascist/White Supremacist 77

Sunni Extremist 8,886

Unknown 1,519

Secular/Political/Anarchist 1,926

Other 170 12,533 Total Deaths

Numbers in chart equal more than 

Total Deaths because multiple 

perpetrators are attributed to 

some attacks. Categories include 

attacks claimed, suspected, 

inferred, or unknown.

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Notable 2011 Sunni Extremist Attacks Cataloged in WITS:

• On June 3, in Sanaa, Yemen, suspected AQAP members bombed the Presidential Palace, injuring 

President Ali Abdallah Salih and Prime Minister Ali Muhammad Mujawar, and killing and injuring 16 

members of their entourage and bodyguards. This was the only attack in 2011 where a sitting head of 

state was wounded. 

• On August 26, in Abuja, Nigeria, Boko Haram conducted its first attack against a foreign target with a 

suicide Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) attack on the United Nations compound 

in Abuja, Nigeria, killing 12 UN staff members and 12 others and wounding 115 persons. This is the 

largest terrorist attack in the country to date. 

• On September 20, in Kabul, Afghanistan, a suspected Taliban suicide bomber detonated an Improvised 

Explosive Device (IED) at the residence of the former President of Afghanistan and current Peace 

Council Chief, killing the Peace Council Chief and five others and wounding several civilians. 

• On October 4, in Mogadishu, Somalia, a suspected al-Shabaab suicide bomber drove a truck into a 

government compound and detonated a VBIED, killing 91 civilians and nine children and wounding 164 

civilians and children. This incident resulted in the most total victims of any single attack during 2011. 

Other Notable Attacks Cataloged in WITS:

• On March 13, in Nzako, Central African Republic, suspected Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) assailants 

attacked the village, killing 12 civilians, kidnapping more than 100 others (including children) and setting 

fire to and looting the village. 

• On July 22, in Oslo, Norway, a politically-motivated lone wolf first detonated a VBIED outside the Prime 

Minister’s office, killing seven government employees and one civilian and wounding 30 other civilians. 

Two hours later, on Utoya Island, the same assailant then fired upon a Norwegian Labor Party-associated 

youth camp, killing 67 people and two police officers and injuring 66 others. 

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Types of Attacks

rmed attacks and bombings constituted nearly 80 percent of all terrorist attacks in 2011. Suicide 

attacks accounted for just 2.7 percent of terrorist attacks last year but 21 percent of all terrorismrelated fatalities, a fact that underscores their extreme lethality. IEDs were the most frequently 

used and deadliest terrorist weapon employed. 

Armed Attack

Bombing

Kidnapping

Unknown

Arson/ Firebombing

Assault

Suicide

Other Types DEATHS

ATTACKS

12,533

5,895

6,724

576

711

4,290

4,150

978

638

346

614

340

2,670

345

175

125

279

10,283

IED

Firearm

Explosive

Unknown

Firebomb/Incendiary

Missile/Rocket

Gernade

Vehicle bomb

Primitive

Mortar/Artillery

DEATHS

ATTACKS

12,533

6,354

5,585

338

3,747

3713

4,732

3,541

615

783

1165

144

392

357

2,100

358

910

306

351

10,283

Number of Attacks and Deaths 

by Attack Type (2011)

Kidnapping Victims, Top 15 Countries (2011)

Number of Attacks and Deaths 

by Weapon Type (2011)

• The number of bombings has remained relatively consistent over the past five years, ranging between 

approximately 4,000 and 4,500 annually. In contrast, the number of armed attacks has steadily decreased 

from a high of 7,958 in 2007 to 4,290 in 2011. 

• Suicide attacks rose from 264 in 2010 to 279 in 2011. In spite of the increase, this represents a sharp 

drop from the five-year peak of 520 suicide attacks in 2007. Sunni extremists conducted 93 percent of 

suicide attacks. 

• Terrorism-related kidnapping events and deaths, 978 and 576, respectively, hit five-year lows. 

3,000

2,500

2,000

1,500

1,000

500

0

Somalia

Afghanistan

Pakistan

India

Colombia

Congo, DR

Sudan

Yemen

Central Africa

Iraq

Gaza Strip

Philippines

Turkey

Burma

Nigeria

2,527

902

430

341 285 189 159 117 115 111 107 102 63 25 17

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Victims of Attacks

Deaths by Victim Categories, Top Nine (2011)

ver 12,000 people were killed by terrorist attacks in 2011. The overall number of victims killed, 

however, decreased 5 percent from 2010. More than half of the people killed in 2011 were 

civilians and 755 were children. Although terrorism deaths decreased, the number of government 

representative and security force fatalities increased significantly. Muslims continued to bear the brunt of 

terrorism, while attacks targeting Christians dropped nearly 45 percent from a five-year high in 2010.

• Although civilians were the largest single 

group of victims killed in terrorist attacks, 

their numbers over the past five years in 

proportion to the total number of deaths have 

gone down by 13 percent, decreasing from a 

2007 high of 64 percent. 

• The number of government employees and 

contractors killed in 2011 increased by over 60 

percent from 2010, while the number of 

government officials killed in 2011 increased by 

over 13 percent. The number of police killed in 

2011 also increased by over 15 percent.

• In cases where the religious affiliation of terrorism 

casualties could be determined, Muslims suffered 

between 82 and 97 percent of terrorism-related 

fatalities over the past five years.

• Muslim majority countries bore the greatest 

number of attacks involving 10 or more deaths, 

with Afghanistan sustaining the highest number 

(47), followed by Iraq (44), Pakistan (37), 

Somalia (28), and Nigeria (12).

• Afghans also suffered the largest number of 

fatalities overall with 3,245 deaths, followed 

by Iraqis (2,958), Pakistanis (2,038), Somalis 

(1,013), and Nigerians (590).

Civilian 6,418

Police 2,423

Military/Security Forces 1,389

Government 768

Children 755

Unknown 527

Other Types 484

Business 358

Politically Affiliated 166

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ver two-thirds of all terrorist attacks struck infrastructure or facilities. Of those, transportation 

assets and public places were the most frequently targeted. Transportation facilities—such as 

vehicles, buses, and transportation infrastructure—incurred damage in about 27 percent of the 

attacks, while public places—including communal areas, markets, polling stations, religious institutions, 

schools, and residences—incurred damage in about 21 percent of the attacks. 

Attacks Against Facilities

• Attacks on government facilities decreased by about 43 percent from 2010, from 796 attacks to 453 

attacks in 2011. 

Transportation

Public

Political/Humanitarian Other Types

Government

Security

Critical/Energy Infrastructure

Attacks Damaging Facilities by Facility Category (2011)

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Attacks on Energy Infrastructure

(2007-2011)

• There was a sharp increase 

in the number of attacks 

directed at energy infrastructure, 

including fuel tankers, fuel 

pipelines, and electrical networks, rising from 299 attacks in 

2010 to 438 attacks in 2011. 

• The number of attacks 

directed at public places 

declined in each of the past 

five years, from a high of 

4,121 attacks in 2007 to 

2,186 attacks in 2011.

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

0 100 200 300 400 500

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000

Attacks on Public Places

(2007-2011)

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National Counterterrorism Center

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U.S. Private Citizen Victims

eventeen U.S. private citizens worldwide were killed by terrorist attacks in 2011.1 These deaths 

occurred in Afghanistan (15), Jerusalem (1), and Iraq (1). Overall, U.S. private citizen deaths 

constituted only 0.13 percent of the total number of deaths worldwide (12,533) caused by terrorism 

in 2011. Fourteen U.S private citizens were wounded by terrorism in 2011; 10 in Afghanistan, three in 

Jerusalem, and one in Iraq. Three U.S. private citizens were kidnapped in 2011; one in Pakistan, one in 

Iraq (who was released in 2012), and one in Somalia (who was rescued in 2012). 

16

14

12

10

8

6

4

2

0

DEATHS

INJURIES

HOSTAGES

Afghanistan Jerusalem Iraq Pakistan Somalia

1 These numbers are provided by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs. The term “private U.S. citizen,” refers to any U.S. 

citizen not acting in an official capacity on behalf of the U.S. government. The cases enumerated reflect only those cases reported to, or known 

by, the U.S. Department of State.

Terrorism Deaths, Injuries, and Kidnappings of Private U.S. Citizens (2011)

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UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

MONTHLY OVERVIEW

2011 Attacks that Resulted in Ten or More Fatalities

JANUARY

Government and Religious Sites Targeted; 

South Asian Markets Attacked 

The bombing of an Egyptian church early on 

New Year’s Day by the suspected group Army 

of Islam, began a month in which most of the 

mass-casualty terrorist attacks struck government 

facilities or officials or religious sites. 

• Suspected Taliban in Kandahar, 

Afghanistan, killed a police commander 

in the bombing of a bathhouse. 

• Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed 

responsibility for a VBIED attack against 

a police station. 

• AQI claimed responsibility for a suicide 

vest and a VBIED attack against police and 

security forces, and was believed responsible 

for VBIED attacks against processions of 

Shia pilgrims during the holiday of Arba’een 

and at a Shia funeral. 

• Attacks by al-Shabaab against the African 

Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and 

Transitional Federal Government (TFG) 

troops caused dozens of civilians deaths.

• AQAP was the likely perpetrator of a 

complex attack in Yemen involving IEDs, 

rocket-propelled grenades (RPG), and 

small arms against a military convoy and 

government response vehicles.

Attackers also struck South Asian marketplaces 

and civilian vehicles with IEDs.

• The Taliban and Hizb-e-Islami claimed 

responsibility for a large-scale attack in 

Afghanistan in which a suicide bomber threw 

grenades and fired small arms into a 

supermarket before detonating an IED, 

killing multiple Filipino and Afghan 

civilians, several children, a government 

employee, and a humanitarian activist. 

Separately, an unclaimed IED attack killed 

13 civilians and children. 

• TTP claimed responsibility for a suicide 

bombing near a bazaar in Pakistan. Another 

separate IED attack inside a passenger bus 

killed and wounded dozens. 

Major attacks also occurred in Russia and the 

Democratic Republic of the Congo.

• The Caucusus Emirate conducted a suicide 

bombing at the Domodedovo Airport in Russia, 

killing 37 civilians and wounding hundreds 

from a variety of different countries.

Domodedovo Airport, Russia

• In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 

the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and the 

National Army for the Liberation of Uganda 

(NALU), believed to be working together, 

were suspected of kidnapping 15 civilians, 

12 of whom were later killed. 

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UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

MONTHLY OVERVIEW

FEBRUARY

Bombings Hit Crowds Near Government 

Institutions and Officials and Businesses

A spate of mass-casualty IED attacks 

occurred near government or security 

force buildings, checkpoints, and personnel.

• The Taliban claimed responsibility for a suicide 

IED attack at a government identity card 

facility in Afghanistan. In Iraq, suspected AQI 

carried out a suicide IED attack aboard a bus 

at a security checkpoint. 

• VBIEDs were detonated at police stations 

in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan, killing 

dozens. A VBIED was detonated at a police 

training facility in Somalia, in which scores 

of trainees were killed or wounded. 

• The deputy governor of al-Anbar, Iraq, was 

killed by a suicide bomber who detonated an 

IED at a Muslim celebration; several security 

officials and civilians were also killed. 

Bombings targeted crowds at shopping and 

financial institutions.

• Taliban suicide bombers attacked the Kabul 

Bank in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, detonating 

an IED at the entrance and firing upon staff 

and customers inside. Separately, another 

Taliban suicide VBIED attack killed at least 

10 people at a bazaar.

• Assailants in Iraq detonated a VBIED at an 

auto dealership, killing 13 civilians.

Numerous civilians died in mass-casualty 

fighting in Africa. 

• Dozens of civilians and soldiers were killed in 

Somalia when al-Shabaab attacked AMISOM 

and TFG troops. In a separate incident, the 

Sool, Sanaag and Cayn (SSC) group attacked 

the Somaliland army, killing and wounding 

dozens of soldiers and civilians.

MARCH

Pakistan Suffers Uptick in Attacks; Lord’s 

Resistance Army Conducts Kidnappings and 

Killings

Although Pakistan experienced only three 

mass-casualty attacks in January and one 

in February, the country suffered eight such 

attacks in March by militants in the Federally 

Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Khyber 

Pakhtunkhwa province, and Balochistan.

• An IED carried by a suicide bomber was 

remotely detonated by other attackers near a 

compressed natural gas station and an office 

of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). 

Another suicide bombing killed dozens of tribal 

militants and civilians attending a funeral. TTP 

claimed responsibility for both attacks.

• The Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) claimed 

responsibility for firing onto a Frontier Works 

Organization camp in Balochistan Province, 

killing at least 11 government employees. 

• Suicide bombers attacked two rallies of the 

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam political party, killing 

dozens of civilians and several police officers. 

• An IED attack at a mosque in Khyber 

Pakhtunkhwa province killed nine civilians 

and one child. 

• Two small arms attacks against passenger 

vans in the FATA killed dozens. In one of the 

incidents, scores of people were kidnapped, 

at least 12 of whom were rescued by 

Pakistani security forces. 

Several villages in the Central African Republic 

and the Democratic Republic of the Congo 

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were attacked by fighters probably 

affiliated with the Lord’s Resistance Army 

(LRA). Dozens of civilians were killed and 

many were wounded or kidnapped.

Mass-casualty attacks continued apace in 

Afghanistan and Iraq, and one also occurred 

in Nigeria. Terrorist attacks in Somalia against 

AMISOM and Government forces resulted in 

large numbers of civilians killed.

• Probable Taliban operatives conducted 

IED attacks in Afghanistan against civilian 

vehicles, an army recruiting center, and a 

construction depot.

• A large-scale attack was launched at the 

Salah ad Din Provincial Council building in 

Iraq that involved mortars, VBIEDs, small 

arms, and a suicide attack. Scores of people 

were killed, including police officers, civilians, 

government employees, council members, and 

journalists. Nearly one hundred others were 

wounded, including several U.S. soldiers. 

Separately, after a suicide VBIED attack 

damaged a military building, several other 

IEDs were discovered nearby and rendered safe. 

• A bomb thrown at a political rally of the 

ruling Nigerian People’s Democratic Party 

killed 14. The government claimed that the 

opposition Congress for Progressive Change 

was responsible. 

Al-Shabaab attacks against AMISOM and TFG 

troops killed dozens of civilians and soldiers. In 

one incident, al-Shabaab placed a VBIED that 

detonated prematurely when troops fired upon 

it. Separately, Somali University buildings were 

struck, leaving a professor and 14 others dead. 

APRIL

Fewest Mass-Casualty Attacks During 2011

There were only 11 mass-casualty attacks in 

April, fewer than any other month in 2011.

• Unknown assailants in Morocco detonated two 

IEDs in a café, killing a waiter, a French child, 

and 15 civilians and wounding dozens more. 

Marrakesh, Morrocco

• Pakistan suffered three mass-casualty attacks. 

In one attack claimed by TTP, two operatives 

wearing suicide vests struck a crowd at a Sufi 

Muslim shrine in Balochistan. A third 

operative was arrested before he was able to 

detonate his device. In another attack believed 

to be the work of the Taliban, an IED was 

detonated that killed 19 and destroyed a 

gambling club. In a third attack, Balochistanbased insurgents set fire to a bus, killing 15, 

including children. 

• Two mass-casualty attacks occurred in 

Afghanistan. A suicide IED targeting an 

Afghan National Army bus killed seven 

soldiers and four civilians in Kabul, and a 

suicide bomber killed four tribal elders, two 

civilians, and five children in Kunar Province. 

• In Iraq, there were two mass-casualty attacks. 

Suicide VBIEDs targeted official motorcades 

in Iraq’s Green Zone, and an attacker with a 

suicide belt killed a dozen Shia worshippers 

at a mosque. 

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• A bomb killed or wounded dozens at 

Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral 

Commission. 

• Fifteen civilians were killed by an IED 

at a subway station in Belarus. 

• A Somali public bus was destroyed in an IED 

attack, widely believed to be conducted by 

al-Shabaab, which killed or wounded two 

dozen civilians. 

MAY

Complex Attacks Target Military and Police 

in Iraq, Nigeria, and Pakistan

Terrorists attacked a variety of military and 

police personnel and sites, incorporating 

multiple phases or tactics in unusually 

complex attacks.

• In Iraq, terrorists probably affiliated with AQI 

killed dozens of police officers in a 

coordinated attack. Assailants first detonated an 

IED attached by magnets to a vehicle near a 

police headquarters. Shortly thereafter, police 

investigating the scene were struck by a 

VBIED. When a police motorcade responded 

to the first explosions, it struck a roadside 

IED. Separately, assailants detonated a 

VBIED on a U.S. military patrol that wounded 

several soldiers. As Iraqi police arrived on 

the scene, a bomber detonated a suicide vest, 

killing or wounding dozens of police officers. 

• In Nigeria, assailants probably affiliated with 

Boko Haram conducted a storming 

assault, firing small arms and throwing 

grenades into a police station, barracks, 

and bank. 

• Militants believed to be TTP-affiliated 

carried out a large-scale attack at a naval base 

in Pakistan. The attackers destroyed aircraft 

with rocket-propelled grenades, detonated a 

suicide vest, and fired upon military personnel 

with small arms. The attack left a dozen soldiers 

and several unknown victims dead and several 

aircraft damaged. 

Terrorists used suicide vests or VBIEDs against 

several police and military targets, leaving 

many more dead or wounded.

• A suicide bomber in Afghanistan, for whom 

the Taliban claimed responsibility, detonated 

a VBIED near a bus carrying police cadets. 

• A probable AQI suicide bomber in Iraq drove 

a VBIED into the entrance of a police 

headquarters building. 

• Assailants probably from Boko Haram fired 

upon a police station and joint police and 

military patrol in Nigeria, prompting a battle 

which left multiple people dead or wounded. 

• TTP claimed responsibility for a suicide IED 

attack against a Pakistan Frontier 

Constabulatory training center and two 

VBIED attacks targeting police stations. 

Afghanistan and Pakistan-based militants also 

successfully targeted companies assisting with 

infrastructure and support in Afghanistan.

• Militants detonated an IED under a fuel 

tanker carrying supplies for NATO forces in 

Afghanistan, prompting multiple explosions 

that killed or wounded dozens. 

• The Taliban was suspected in a small arms 

assault and an IED attack against road 

construction workers. 

Mass-casualty attacks against crowds of civilians 

continued, including a VBIED attack at a market 

in Iraq, an attack with three nearly simultaneous IED explosions at a market in Nigeria, and 

several armed attacks in Somalia. 

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JUNE

Afghanistan and Yemen Experience 

Strategically Targeted Mass-Casualty Attacks

Terrorists in Afghanistan and Yemen conducted 

mass-casualty attacks against high-profile, 

strategic-level targets.

• Kabul’s Intercontinental Hotel, a luxury hotel 

often frequented by foreigners, was attacked 

during a conference on the transition of security 

responsibilities from U.S. and NATO forces 

to Afghan control. The multi-hour assault was 

carried out by suicide bombers and assailants 

using small arms and RPGs. Eleven civilians 

and two police officers were killed, and more 

than a dozen others were wounded.

Kabul, Afghanistan

• In Yemen, militants probably from AQAP 

conducted a bombing at a mosque at the 

Presidential Palace. Then-Yemeni President 

Ali Abdallah Salih was badly wounded and 

several bodyguards and government officials 

were killed. Salih later departed the country 

for medical treatment and eventually left 

office after 33 years in power.

Complex attacks using a combination of 

tactics, secondary attacks against first 

responders, and simultaneous attacks all 

continued to be major sources of casualties.

• Indian extremists, probably from the 

CPI-Maoist, killed 10 police officers in a 

two-phased attack that included detonating 

an IED and then firing upon an explosive 

ordnance disposal vehicle that responded 

to the explosion. 

• Terrorists in Iraq detonated two roadside 

IEDs and a VBIED at crowds surrounding 

markets and government offices. Another 

suicide bomber detonated a VBIED targeting 

responders near a hospital. Separately, an 

AQI-claimed suicide bomber detonated an 

IED inside a Sunni mosque; seconds later, 

assailants detonated a roadside IED outside. 

• Militants probably from TTP fired upon a 

Pakistani police station before detonating 

suicide vests, killing or wounding dozens. 

The militants then separately assaulted a joint 

police and military checkpoint using small arms, 

RPGs, and mortars. The militants abducted and 

later killed 16 police officers captured during 

the raid. In another incident in Pakistan, a timed 

IED drew a crowd that was then attacked by a 

suicide bomber on a motorcycle. 

Terrorists also conducted major attacks against 

a variety of high-profile and culturally significant or symbolic locations, factional opponents, 

and civilian gatherings.

• A suicide bomber in Afghanistan detonated 

a VBIED at a hospital and dozens of civilians 

were killed in three other IED attacks that 

included a minibus carrying a family and an 

outdoor market. 

• A suicide bomber in Iraq detonated a VBIED 

at a checkpoint outside the late-Saddam 

Hussein’s former presidential compound. In 

separate incidents, VBIEDs exploded outside 

a restaurant frequented by soldiers and police 

officers and near a provincial governor’s 

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home. Assailants also detonated three IEDs at 

a market and at a Shia mosque. 

• Boko Haram claimed responsibility for an 

assault on a bar in Nigeria that killed 25 

and wounded 30. 

• Assailants from Afghanistan crossed into 

Pakistan and fired small arms and RPGs on 

three villages and a checkpoint, killing civilians, pro-Islamabad tribal militia, and paramilitary troops. Militants in this attack also 

kidnapped 20 tribal militia members. Separately, a suicide bomber detonated an IED 

inside an Army-run bakery in Pakistan. 

• Al-Shabaab was widely believed to be 

responsible for a mortar attack that killed 

13 Ugandan peacekeepers and a small arms 

assault on a camp affiliated with the Sufi progovernment Ablu Sumah wal Jama’a organization. Separately, tribal militants ambushed 

vehicles with a small arms attack, killing 

between nine and 11 people. 

JULY

Large-Scale Attacks in Norway and India; 

Ten Mass-Casualty Attacks Hit Afghanistan

Mass-casualty attacks in Oslo, Norway, and 

Mumbai, India, received widespread media 

coverage and worldwide attention. The attack in 

Norway was the deadliest in that country since 

the Second World War, and the attack in India 

was reminiscent of the multi-day assault in late 

November 2008 by Lashkar-e-Tayyiba operatives.

• A lone wolf detonated a VBIED outside the 

office of the Norwegian Prime Minister and 

two hours later fired upon a political summer 

camp attended predominantly by young 

adolescents. In total, the attacker killed 33 

children, 34 political affiliates and seven 

government employees in the assault. 

Oslo, Norway

• Operatives probably from the Indian 

Mujahideen (IM) detonated three IEDs at two 

crowded market places and near a bus stop, 

killing dozens and wounding hundreds. 

Afghanistan suffered a rash of mass-casualty 

attacks against NATO forces, workers 

supporting international and Afghan forces, 

and Afghan civilians.

• Several French and Afghan soldiers were 

killed when a suicide attacker detonated an 

IED near a NATO convoy. 

• Seven suicide bombers and other assailants with 

IEDs, VBIEDs and small arms attacked the 

offices of the Uruzgan provincial governor, 

a local television station and the compound 

of a militia commander. Separately, a suicide 

bomber killed between 10 and 12 police 

officers and one child by detonating a VBIED 

outside a police headquarters. 

• Armed assailants fired upon a convoy 

transporting supplies for NATO forces and on 

laborers constructing a police checkpoint. 

• During two incidents in the same town, 

Taliban insurgents attacked police 

checkpoints and set fire to several houses. 

• Other IED explosions against vehicles killed 

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or wounded dozens. 

Complex attacks in Iraq continued to produce 

high casualty numbers.

• Assailants believed to be members of AQI 

detonated a VBIED in a parking lot and then 

targeted responders with a roadside IED. 

• AQI attacked soldiers and police officers 

collecting their paychecks, first by detonating 

a VBIED at al-Rafidain bank then deploying 

a suicide bomber against responders. The 

incident left 16 soldiers, police officers, and 

civilians dead. 

Militants in Pakistan, for whom 

Lashkar-i-Jhangvi (LJ) claimed responsibility, 

fired upon a van transporting Shia civilians, 

killing 11. 

AUGUST

High-Profile Attacks Conducted on British 

Council in Afghanistan and the UN in Nigeria

The wave of mass-casualty attacks garnering 

extensive media attention in July continued into 

August with two major attacks on diplomatic 

institutions.

• The Taliban claimed responsibility for 

assailants who breached the gate of the British 

Council compound in Kabul with a with small 

arms and suicide vests. Seven civilians, five 

police officers, and a New Zealand soldier 

were killed and dozens more were wounded. 

• Boko Haram claimed responsibility for a 

suicide bomber who crashed a VBIED into the 

lobby of a UN building in Abuja, Nigeria, and 

then detonated the explosives, killing dozens 

and wounding scores. This was the first Boko 

Haram attack against Western targets.

Abuja, Nigeria

Extremists in Iraq and Pakistan also conducted 

more mass-casualty attacks during this month 

against mosques than other months, due probably 

to the significance of attacking religious targets 

during Ramadan and the increased crowds that 

surround such targets.

• A suicide bomber in Iraq killed or wounded 

scores of people by detonating an IED at a 

Sunni mosque. 

• TTP claimed responsibility for a suicide 

bomber who detonated a vest at a Pakistani 

mosque. Separately, probable Baloch or Sunni 

extremists detonated a VBIED at a mosque. 

Terrorists in Afghanistan, India, Iraq, and Nigeria 

continued to conduct major assaults using large 

numbers of personnel and complex tactics.

• In an assault tactically similar to the 

British Council attack conducted one week 

prior, Taliban assailants used a VBIED to 

breach the gate of the Parwan governor’s 

house and then launched small arms, RPGs, 

and two suicide bombings inside the building 

compound, killing 16 government employees 

and six police officers. 

• In India, a group of over 100 armed assailants 

probably affiliated with the CPI-Maoist group 

fired upon several military or paramilitary 

patrols, killing a dozen people. 

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• Iraqi terrorists probably affiliated with AQI 

detonated an IED in a marketplace, then 

detonated a VBIED as first responders arrived. 

• Boko Haram garnered widespread attention 

when it conducted a multi-target attack in 

which operatives aboard buses fired small 

arms and threw grenades at a local police 

headquarters before proceeding to and robbing 

the United Bank of Africa. Multiple police 

officers were killed as well as bank 

employees and customers. 

Six other mass-casualty attacks against buses, 

hotels, police, and shopping areas also occurred in 

Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Somalia.

SEPTEMBER

Shia Pilgrims, Funerals Attacked in Iraq and 

Pakistan; Blast Hits New Delhi High Court

Terrorist attacks in Iraq and Pakistan caused the 

deaths of dozens of Shia pilgrims and funeral 

attendees.

• Probable AQI operatives set up a fake 

checkpoint in Al-Anbar Province, Iraq, 

ordered pilgrims aboard a bus traveling to 

Syria to disembark and then systematically 

executed them. Separately in Pakistan, LJ 

militants also stopped a bus transporting 

pilgrims to Iran, forced them to disembark 

and executed them. 

• Assailants in Iraq detonated a VBIED at a 

Shia funeral, killing or wounding dozens. 

Both Harakat ul-Jihad Islami (HUJI) and IM 

claimed responsibility for an IED attack in India 

outside the Delhi High Court that killed 15 

civilians and wounded at least 91 others. 

Three other mass-casualty attacks in

Afghanistan, including an ambush of police 

officers approaching a residence, an attack on a 

construction company convoy, and the detonation of 

a roadside IED against a bus, resulted in the deaths 

of dozens of police officers, private security 

guards, and civilians. 

Armed assailants probably from the group 

National Forces for Liberation (FNL) stormed 

the Chez les Amis bar in Burundi, killing the 

bar owner and 38 civilians. 

Probable AQI members continued to use 

VBIEDs to attack crowds in Iraq.

• A VBIED detonated near a crowd outside a 

government office; minutes later, additional 

IEDs targeting first responders detonated, 

leaving at least 17 dead and over 100 wounded. 

• Another VBIED killed 15 and wounded 46 in 

an attack on a restaurant. 

Pakistani militants probably affiliated with TTP 

conducted a complex attack against the home of 

the Frontier Constabulatory Deputy Inspector 

General. A suicide bomber detonated a VBIED 

outside of the residence and then a suicide 

bomber entered the home, threw grenades and 

detonated an IED. Thirteen soldiers, 12 civilians 

and three children were killed in the attack. 

Separately, a suicide bomber from an unknown 

group detonated an IED at an outdoor funeral. 

Dozens of civilians were killed by al-Shabaab 

attacks in Somalia where militants targeted 

TFG forces and members of the Ras Kamboni 

militia. 

page 26
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OCTOBER

Iraq Continues to Suffer Complex Attacks; 

Attacks Hit Military Bases in Afghanistan; 

Multiple Attacks Occur in Somalia

Complex IED attacks continued to be the primary 

tactic used in mass-casualty attacks in Iraq.

• Three separate incidents targeted crowds with 

an IED and responders with secondary IEDs 

detonated minutes later. 

• Separately, eight police officers and six 

civilians were killed in a VBIED attack on a 

police station. 

Afghanistan suffered two attacks against U.S. 

military bases which resulted in mass casualties.

• A suicide bomber detonated a VBIED against a 

military transport bus, killing multiple 

Coalition soldiers and several civilians. 

• An IED magnetically attached to a tanker at 

Bagram Air Base detonated, causing a fuel 

leak; hours later, dozens of civilians scavenging 

for gasoline were killed or wounded in a 

secondary explosion. 

Somalia also suffered a surge in mass-casualty 

attacks, most of which were directed at 

AMISOM and TFG forces but affected civilian 

targets.

• A landmine in a market killed 16 civilians. 

• A suicide truck bomb against a government 

compound killed 100 civilians and children. 

• A VBIED near a building housing several 

government ministries killed 10 to 15 

civilians. Al-Shabaab was widely believed to 

be responsible, but denied responsibility.

Pakistani militants continued to target Shia Muslims; 

14 were killed in a small arms attack on a bus. 

NOVEMBER

Attacks Hit Burma and Senegal; Boko 

Haram Conducts Wave of Bombings

Burma suffered its only mass-casualty attack of 

the year in November and Senegal experienced 

its first.

• Terrorists on motorcycles threw a grenade 

into a Burmese orphanage, killing seven 

adults and three children and injuring 

dozens more. 

• Assailants probably affiliated with the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance 

(MFDC) killed 10 Senegalese civilians. 

Boko Haram claimed responsibility for an 

attack in which assailants fired upon and 

detonated IEDs and a VBIED near a bank, 

several police stations, and six churches. 

Five IED attacks in Baghdad left scores dead.

• Three VBIEDs exploded near a group of 

coffee shops. 

• A suicide bomber detonated an IED at a 

meeting of a Sons of Iraq council, and then 

targeted responders with a VBIED. In a 

separate complex attack, two IEDs targeted a 

market; a third detonated as responders arrived. 

• Three IEDs hit a market area in Baghdad. 

• A suicide bomber detonated a VBIED at the 

entrance to a prison, killing and wounding 

civilians, police officers, and government 

employees. 

In Pakistan, a suicide bomber targeted a prison 

van, wounding 10 police officers. 

Assailants in Afghanistan and Somalia killed 

scores in separate IED and small arms attacks.

page 27
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• Assailants fired on a logistics convoy transporting 

supplies for NATO forces and detonated an IED 

near a convoy of private security contractors. 

Separately, a landmine in Afghanistan exploded 

near a police convoy. 

• Al-Shabaab was most likely responsible for 

two IED attacks in Somalia.

DECEMBER

Boko Haram Conducts IED Attacks; Former 

Government Officials Targeted in India and 

Pakistan

Boko Haram claimed responsibility for three 

major IED attacks in Nigeria.

• Multiple IEDs detonated near several churches 

and a VBIED detonated at a State Security 

headquarters. 

• Small arms attacks and IEDs targeted security 

forces, residences, buildings, a mosque, and 

several churches. 

• A roadside IED killed or wounded many 

civilians, including children. 

Government officials and their families were 

targeted in India and Pakistan.

• In India, militants probably from the CPIMaoist group launched an IED and small 

arms attack on a convoy carrying a former 

state legislative speaker, killing 12 police 

officers and one civilian. 

• The Balochistan Liberation Army claimed 

responsibility for a VBIED explosion 

outside the home of the son of a former 

state minister that killed nine civilians 

and seven bodyguards. 

Afghanistan and Iraq each suffered four 

major IED attacks.

• Two suicide IED attacks targeted funerals 

in Afghanistan, one of which hit Shia 

mourners and was claimed by LJ. 

Separately, roadside IEDs hit a passenger 

bus and a police patrol. 

• In Iraq, VBIEDs targeted shops and 

a suicide attack was directed at the Iraqi 

Integrity Commission. An AQI-claimed 

complex attack involving an IED and a 

suicide VBIED targeted construction 

workers. Separately, three IEDs struck 

Shia pilgrims. 

Senegal, Somalia, and Syria each suffered 

one mass-casualty attack.

• Senegalese assailants, probably from the 

MFDC, fired RPGs on a military outpost 

and vehicle. 

• Probable al-Shabaab-linked kidnappers 

killed 11 Somali civilians and assaulted 

and wounded many others. 

• Two suspected AQI female suicide bombers 

detonated VBIEDs at Syrian intelligence 

facilities, killing or wounding scores of soldiers, 

civilians, and government employees. 

page 28

2011 Report on Terrorism

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

The National Counterterrorism Center

www.nctc.gov

REPORT ON TERRORISM