This blog is an attempt to track terrorist attacks worldwide on a weekly basis. While recognising the challenges in defining ‘terrorism’, the incidents listed here will be limited to attacks committed – or claimed – by known terrorist groups (Al Qaeda, Islamic State, FARC, etc.) or those where there is a clear underlying ideological, religious or political motive. Actual attacks carried out, and not those thwarted through arrests, only will be listed (for unsuccessful plots check out Borealis’ X feed @borealissaves). This list makes no claim to be exhaustive as it is limited by time and resources available to scan open source intelligence (OSINT).
Events where information is still being gathered may be included with a caveat that they may not turn out in the end to be terrorist in nature. Crimes motivated solely by hate will NOT appear here. Borealis realises that this too is problematic but believes that a distinction between terrorism and hate crimes is worth maintaining.
After the listing of individual incidents analysis of the visible trendlines will be briefly discussed. Multiple, independent sources (OSINT) will be listed wherever possible.
| Date | Location | Method | Responsibility | Casualties | Type |
| Jan 8 | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan | IED | TTP? | 7 d 10 w | Islamist |
| Jan 9 | Bannu, Pakistan | guns | TTP | 2 d | Islamist |
| Red Sea | drones | Houthis | 0 | Islamist | |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan | guns | ? TTP? | 4 d | Islamist | |
| Palmyra, Syria | guns | ISIS | 14 d | Islamist | |
| Kabul, Afghanistan | IED | ISK | 3 d 4 w | Islamist | |
| Borno State, Nigeria | IED | Boko Haram | 7 d 3 w | Islamist | |
| Jan 10 | North Waziristan, Pakistan | guns | ? TTP? | 3 | Islamist |
| Galguduud, Somalia | hostage taking | Al Shabaab | 1 d | Islamist | |
| Jan 11 | Kabul | grenade | ISK? | 2 d 12 w | Islamist |
| Jan 12 | Jammu Kashmir, India | guns | unknown | 0 | Islamist? |
| Northern Iraq | guns | PKK | 5 d 8 w | Nationalist | |
| West Bank | guns | unknown | 1 w | Islamist? | |
| Somalia | IED | Al Shabaab? | 9 d ? w | Islamist | |
| Jan 13 | Baluchistan, Pakistan | IED | Baluchistan Liberation Front | 5 d | Islamist |
| Jan 14 | Nimroz, Afghanstan | suicide bomber | ISK? | 7 w | Islamist? |
| Northern Israel | missile | Hizballah | 2 d | Islamist | |
| Red Sea | missile | Houthis | 0 | Islamist |
Explosion in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa kills five police officers – Khaama Press; Blast in Pakistan kills five police officers during polio vaccination drive – The Island; Death toll from Bajaur attack rises to 7; FIR registered against unidentified assailants – Pakistan – DAWN.COM
Two cops martyred in attack on polio team in Bannu (tribune.com.pk)
Three cops among four martyred in late night attack in Kohat (tribune.com.pk); Terrorists attack police checkpost in Kohat; 4 martyred (thenews.com.pk)
Islamic State group kills 14 Syria soldiers: monitor (kurdistan24.net)
Election hopeful among 3 killed in firing on vehicle in North Waziristan – Pakistan – DAWN.COM
US and UK navies repel largest Houthi attack on Red Sea shipping (bbc.com)
Somalia’s militant Shabab capture downed U.N. helicopter, at least 1 dead – The Washington Post
Explosion kills 2, injures 12 in Kabul, Afghanistan – Khaama Press
Army convoy attacked by suspected militants near J&K’s Poonch – The Hindu
5 Turkish soldiers killed, 8 injured in PKK terrorist attack in Iraq | Daily Sabah; Five Turkish soldiers killed in Kurdistan Region | Rudaw.net
Terrorist infiltration to Adora: One wounded, 3 terrorists killed (ynetnews.com); Shooting attack near Hebron: Israeli injured in town Adora, three terrorists eliminated | Israel National News – Arutz Sheva; West Bank: At Least 3 Palestinian Terrorists Killed In Foiled Infiltration Bid – I24NEWS
Fatalities after minibus bomb blast in Somalia (hiiraan.com)
Roadside mine blast kills five Pakistani soldiers – Khaama Press
Office of the Taliban Governor in Nimroz targeted by suicide attack – Khaama Press; Suicide Bomber Detonates Explosive in Nimroz Governor’s Office: Officials | TOLOnews; Suicide Bomber Detonates Explosive in Nimroz Governor’s Office: Officials | TOLOnews
Nimroz Governor Escapes Suicide Attack, 3 Guards Injured | TOLOnews
Son, mother dead in anti-tank missile fire to northern border (ynetnews.com)
US Downs Houthi Missile in Latest Red Sea Attack (voanews.com)
Analysis
The second full week of 2024 followed the same pattern as the first. All attacks worldwide, with the exception of one, were carried out by Islamist terrorists, of both the Sunni and Shia variety. Of particular note:
- Al Shabaab continues to be active despite Somali government claims of success against the terrorist group: the same goes for Boko Haram which the Nigerian government has been calling all but dead for years;
- Houthi terrorists continue to target commercial shipping in the Red Sea despite UK and US airstrikes against camps in Yemen;
- The Hizballah attack on northern Israel demonstrates that the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack and Israeli military response still risks metastasising;
- The Taliban, which several nations still see as a terrorist group, are themselves the victim of attacks by Islamist jihadis;
- Pakistan struggles against what they call the TTP – Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan – a terrorist group they accuse Afghanistan of hosting;
- Once again, not a single right-wing terrorist attack anywhere on Earth was registered.
