Religiously motivated terrorist attacks: Who attacks and where?
258 lives were taken by religious extremists in Sri Lanka this year, 51 in New Zeeland.
Although the number of attacks driven by religious reasons seems to be rather dropping in time, more lives are being lost now.
Let's take a look at what the 2015-2017 Global Terrorism Database data on religious terrorist attacks tell us.
The most attacks were carried out in the July 2015
Most victims were killed by Boko Haram in Nigeria that month. The number of attacks is steadily dropping from that time on.
The most problematic regions are South Asia, North Africa and Middle East
More then half of the attacks happened in these regions, with almost 50% in South Asia alone.
It is not only the Islamic State fractions
Yes, it is the Islamic State fractions who claims the responsibility the most often. The most attacks stay anonymous though. Nigerian Boko Haram was responsible for the second most claimed attacks in 2017.
The numbers of victims are growing
Even though it seems there are fewer attacks carried out, the attackers are taking more lives. In November 2017, almost 400 people died by the hands of religiously led terrorists. Over 300 people were killed in Sinai mosque attacks, claimed by Sinai branch of Islamic State.
Where the lives were lost
The most lives were lost in Egypt, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Iraq.
