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. Only actual attacks carried out, and not those thwarted through arrests, 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 |
| Feb 12 | Pakistan | beatings, firearms | 13 w | Islamist | |
| Feb 13 | Galgaguud, Somalia | mortars | Al Shabaab | Islamist | |
| Hama Province, Syria | guns | ISIS | 9 d 3 w | Islamist | |
| Feb 14 | northern Israel | rockets | Hizballah? | 1 d 8 w | Islamist |
| eastern DRC | CODECO | 12 d 16 kidnapped | Ethno-nationalist | ||
| Feb 15 | central Somalia | mortars | Al Shabaab | buildings destroyed | Islamist |
| northern Israel | rockets | Hizballah | Islamist | ||
| Feb 16 | southern Israel | guns | 2 d 4 w | Islamist? | |
| Feb 18 | eastern DRC | knives, guns | CODECO | 15 d | Ethno-nationalist |
Analysis
Of the far too many terrorist groups active in Africa, many of which are associated with Al Qaeda (AQ) or Islamic State (ISIS), there is the odd one that arises and which ends up being particularly lethal. One such example is CODECO, behind two attacks this week which killed at least 27 people. The group’s name comes from the French Coopérative pour le développement du Congo and has sometimes been referred to as a ‘cult’: I am not aware of any nation that lists it as a terrorist group. Yet, it has been active in eastern DRC since at least 1999 and is adding to the misery and violence in that part of the country. As with most issues, the government in Kinshasa, thousands of kilometres to the west, seems incapable of doing much about it.
Sources
ISIS desert attack kills nine Syrian soldiers:… | Rudaw.net; Islamic State group kills nine Syrian soldiers: monitor (kurdistan24.net); Islamic State militants attack Syrian military barracks and kill 9 troops, war monitors say | AP News
Soldier killed, 8 hurt as rocket barrage hits Safed; IDF launches ‘widespread strikes’ | The Times of Israel; One Israeli killed, eight wounded by Hezbollah rocket salvo (newarab.com)
Rebels attack a gold mine in eastern Congo, killing at least 12 people | Africanews
Al-Shabaab carries out attack in central Somalia (garoweonline.com)
Hezbollah shells Kiryat Shmona in response to Israel’s killing of civilians — Naharnet
2 dead, 4 wounded in terror shooting in southern Israel (ynetnews.com); Two killed, 4 wounded in terror attack in southern Israel; shooter ‘neutralized’ | The Times of Israel; Terror Attack In South Israel: 1 Dead, 6 Wounded And Shooter Neutralized – I24NEWS; Two murdered in shooting attack in southern Israel | Israel National News – Arutz Sheva
CODECO rebel attack kills 15 people in eastern DR Congo | News | Al Jazeera
