Terrorism in Somalia

The risk of terrorist attacks in Somalia over the past years can be classified as extremely high. Worldwide this is one of the most dangerous countries with the most and devastating attacks. Over the past 5 years a total number of 1659 terrorist incidents has been recorded, in which 4113 people have been killed and 3598 injured. Among them were 121 suicide acts.

In 196 incedents a total of 1373 people have been kidnapped or taken as hostage, though a ransom was rarely (6 times) extorted.

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Most frequent attack targets in Somalia

(2013 to 2017)

Target	Attacks	Killed	Injured	Hostages
Private citizens	708	2,266	1,775	1,074
Government	484	1,046	1,022	109
Military	252	996	892	116
Business	160	1,274	1,313	112
Police	150	313	350	4
Journalists & Media	40	59	67	9
Transportation	28	119	93	20
Airports & Aircraft	23	604	343	0
NGO	21	14	17	52
Non-state militias	21	132	32	38

Most affected regions

(2013 to 2017)

Region	Attacks	Killed	Injured	Hostages
Banaadir	730	2,086	2,198	105
Lower Shebelle	216	358	228	327
Lower Juba	117	290	179	196
Bay	111	391	287	141
Hiiraan	103	224	134	95
Gedo	93	145	128	53
Mudug	63	138	120	92
Bari	55	171	175	13
Middle Shebelle	53	129	75	26
Galguduud	45	67	44	194
Bakool	30	54	18	22
Middle Juba	23	31	0	106
Nugaal	8	24	9	0
Woqooyi Galbeed	3	0	0	0
Sool	2	1	0	0
Awdal	1	2	2	0
Togdheer	1	0	1	0

Terrorist organisations in Somalia

Organisation	Attacks	Killed	Injured	Hostages
Al-Shabaab	1347	3,810	3,230	1,351
Jabha East Africa	10	25	18	12
Raskamboni Movement	1	1	0	0
Islamic State	1	0	0	0

All information sourced from the "National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism" (START) and its Global Terrorism Database. An act of terrorism is concidered every incident which is aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal, but not for pure profit motives. In addition these incidents must not be legitimized by warfare activities, listet in the Geneva Conventions of 1949.