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 |
| Mar 4 | Quirimba Island, Mozambique | ISIS | 2 d | Islamist | |
| Red Sea | missiles | Houthis | 0 | Islamist | |
| Mar 5 | Mardan, Pakistan | guns | 1 w | Islamist | |
| Mar 6 | Red Sea | missiles | Houthis | 3 d | Islamist |
| Syria | guns | ISIS | 18-40 d 50 missing | Islamist | |
| Mar 7 | Cabo Delgado, Mozambique | kidnaping | ISIS | 70 missing | Islamist |
| Northeastern Nigeria | kidnaping | Boko Haram | 200 missing | Islamist | |
| Mar 8 | West Bank | IED | 7 w | Islamist | |
| Mar 9 | Zurich, Switzerland | knife | ISIS | 1 w | Islamist |
| Mar 10 | Kenya-Somalia border | IED | Al Shabaab | 9 w | Islamist |
| Mar 10 | northern Israel | rockets | Hizballah | Islamist | |
| Mogadishu, Somalia | mortars? | Al Shabaab | millions of $ in property damage | Islamist |
Analysis
Every day, or so it seems, some government announces that a terrorist group it has been fighting is all but dead. Nigeria says it about Boko Haram and the local ISIS chapter (ISWAP). Somalia makes the same claim about Al Shabaab. And Mozambique has long pretended that its ISIS affiliate is no longer a threat. And yet all three carried out attacks this week. What does this say about government counter terrorism propaganda? Not much.
Sources
Mozambique: Terrorists assault Quirimba Island, kill two FDS agents – O País | Club of Mozambique
Yemen’s Houthis hit container vessel in Gulf of Aden with missile, US CENTCOM says | Reuters
Policeman escorting polio team injured in Mardan attack – Pakistan – DAWN.COM
Three killed in Houthi missile attack on cargo ship – US military (bbc.com)
At least 18 Syrian truffle hunters killed in suspected IS attack (bbc.com)
New attacks by IS-linked group in Mozambique leave over 70 children missing | Africanews
Nigeria’s Boko Haram crisis: Dozens of women feared abducted in Gamboru Ngala (bbc.com)
Seven IDF soldiers injured in Samaria attack | Israel National News – Arutz Sheva
Hezbollah fires dozens of rockets at Israel’s Meron after deadly Khirbet Selm strike — Naharnet
Somalia: Police seize over 140 mortars in the capital, Mogadishu (garoweonline.com)
