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Major Terror Attacks on Places of Worship That Shook The World

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By ETV Bharat English Team

Published : Jun 24, 2024, 8:07 PM IST

Updated : Jun 24, 2024, 8:18 PM IST

From America to India to Pakistan, no country is safe from rising terror violence which is taking roots through international armed networks. The latest attacks on places of worship and security posts in Russia's Dagestan left the whole world in a state of grief and disbelief. Here is a timeline of major terror strikes on religious places that have dealt serious blows to different countries since 2005.

Representational Image
Representational Image (Getty Images)

The whole world is shocked yet again as the latest terror attacks on two orthodox churches, a synagogue and police posts in Russia's North Caucasus republic of Dagestan on Sunday left more than 20 people, including many police officers, a priest and several civilians, dead. Six gunmen were also killed. The deceased include an Orthodox priest and several policemen. The attacks took place in the predominantly Muslim region having a history of armed militancy, Russian authorities reported on Sunday.

The more the countries and governments in the world are trying to check violence by terrorists, the greater the chaos being left by there groups, which are operating through global networks. Easter Sunday bloodbath in Sri Lanka in 2019 is not easy to forget. In the last several years, these terror strikes have dealt severe blows to many countries, including Philippines, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and so on. The following is a timeline of the major terror strikes the world has suffered:

03.12.2023 (Philippines) : Four people were killed and dozens wounded in a bomb attack on a Catholic mass. The blast happened during a morning service at Mindanao State University's gymnasium in Marawi in southern Philippines.

04.03.2022 (Pakistan) : At least 60 worshippers were killed and nearly 200 wounded after a suicide bomber detonated explosives inside a mosque in a Shia neighbourhood in Pakistan’s northwestern city of Peshawar.The blast ripped through Kucha Risaldar mosque in Peshawar’s old city area of Qissa Khwani when people from the minority Shi’ite community gathered for the Friday prayers.

25.03.2020 (Afghanistan) : Twenty-five people were killed after gunmen opened fire at a gurdwara in Afghanistan's capital Kabul, today .The terror group ISIS has claimed the attack.

21.04.2019 (Sri Lanka) : Easter Sunday, three churches in Sri Lanka and three luxury hotels in the commercial capital, Colombo , were targeted in a series of coordinated Islamic terrorist suicide bombings. Later that day, there were smaller explosions at a housing complex in Dematagoda and a guest house in Dehiwala. Two hundred and fifty-nine people were killed, including at least 45 foreign nationals and three police officers, and at least 500 were injured. Later ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack.

15.03.2019 (New Zealand) : 51 people were killed and 49 injured when a gunman opened fire at two mosques during Friday prayers in Christchurch, New Zealand.

27.01.2019 (Philippines) : Two suicide attackers detonate two bombs during a Mass in a Roman Catholic cathedral on the largely Muslim island of Jolo in the southern Philippines, killing 23 and wounding about 100 others.

27.10.2018 (USA) : A gunman entered Tree of Life Congregation synagogue in Pittsburgh and opened fire, killing 11 and wounding six, including four police officers.

24.11.2017 (Egypt) : Militants kill 311 worshippers in a mosque attack in north Sinai, the deadliest such terrorist attack in Egypt's modern history.

01.08.2017 (Afghanistan) : A suicide bomber storms into the largest Shiite mosque in Afghanistan's western Herat province, opening fire on worshippers before blowing himself up, killing at least 90 people. Hundreds more were wounded in the attack, which happened during evening prayers.

09.04.2017 (Egypt) : Twin suicide bombings rock churches in the Egyptian coastal city of Alexandria and Tanta, killing at least 45 people. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State group.

16.02.2017 (Pakistan) : Suicide bomber detonates his explosives vest among the devotees at the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Pakistan's Sindh province, killing 98.

11.12.2016 (Egypt) : Suicide bomber strikes inside a Cairo chapel adjacent to St. Mark's Cathedral, seat of Egypt's ancient Coptic Orthodox Church. The Islamic State group claimed the attack, which killed at least 25 people.

20.03.2015 (Yemen) : Islamic State suicide bombers attack a pair of mosques in Yemen's capital, unleashing monstrous blasts that ripped through worshippers and killed 137 people.

30.01.2015 (Pakistan) : Suicide bombing at a Shiite mosque in the Pakistani town of Shikarpur kills 71. Jundullah claims responsibility.

18.11.2014 (Israel) : Two Palestinians using axes, knives and a gun kill four Jewish worshippers and an Israeli police officer in an attack on a Jerusalem synagogue.

05.08.2012 (USA) :Six members of the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, in Oak Creek, are fatally shot by a white supremacist, Wade Michael Page. Page was shot by a responding officer and later killed himself.

31.10.2010 (Iraq) : Al-Qaida in Iraq militants attack Our Lady of Salvation Catholic Church in Baghdad during Sunday night mass, killing 58 people in the deadliest assault targeting Christians since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion there. Al-Qaida in Iraq later became the Islamic State group.

28.04.2007 (Iraq) : A car bomb exploded in front of the Shia Abbas ibn Ali shrine on 28 April. The bomb killed at least 68 people and injured about 170 in the Iraqi city of Karbala. The bomb exploded near the golden-domed mosque. Karbala is considered the second most important shrine city for the Shia.

05.07.2005 (India) : The heavily guarded Ram Janmabhoomi - Babri Masjid complex was attacked by armed terrorists. The attack was foiled by security officials and the attackers were killed after an hour-long encounter. The terrorists posed as pilgrims on their way to Ayodhya and boarded a Tata Sumo at Akbarpur near the Kichaucha village in Faizabad. At Faizabad they abandoned the Sumo and hired a jeep driven by a driver, Rehan Alam Amsari. The terror attack left two locals dead and injured seven paramilitary personnel. Five suspected JeM terrorists were eliminated by security forces in retaliatory action.

Read More:

1. Russian Region Of Dagestan Holds Day Of Mourning After Attacks Kill 20 People

The whole world is shocked yet again as the latest terror attacks on two orthodox churches, a synagogue and police posts in Russia's North Caucasus republic of Dagestan on Sunday left more than 20 people, including many police officers, a priest and several civilians, dead. Six gunmen were also killed. The deceased include an Orthodox priest and several policemen. The attacks took place in the predominantly Muslim region having a history of armed militancy, Russian authorities reported on Sunday.

The more the countries and governments in the world are trying to check violence by terrorists, the greater the chaos being left by there groups, which are operating through global networks. Easter Sunday bloodbath in Sri Lanka in 2019 is not easy to forget. In the last several years, these terror strikes have dealt severe blows to many countries, including Philippines, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and so on. The following is a timeline of the major terror strikes the world has suffered:

03.12.2023 (Philippines) : Four people were killed and dozens wounded in a bomb attack on a Catholic mass. The blast happened during a morning service at Mindanao State University's gymnasium in Marawi in southern Philippines.

04.03.2022 (Pakistan) : At least 60 worshippers were killed and nearly 200 wounded after a suicide bomber detonated explosives inside a mosque in a Shia neighbourhood in Pakistan’s northwestern city of Peshawar.The blast ripped through Kucha Risaldar mosque in Peshawar’s old city area of Qissa Khwani when people from the minority Shi’ite community gathered for the Friday prayers.

25.03.2020 (Afghanistan) : Twenty-five people were killed after gunmen opened fire at a gurdwara in Afghanistan's capital Kabul, today .The terror group ISIS has claimed the attack.

21.04.2019 (Sri Lanka) : Easter Sunday, three churches in Sri Lanka and three luxury hotels in the commercial capital, Colombo , were targeted in a series of coordinated Islamic terrorist suicide bombings. Later that day, there were smaller explosions at a housing complex in Dematagoda and a guest house in Dehiwala. Two hundred and fifty-nine people were killed, including at least 45 foreign nationals and three police officers, and at least 500 were injured. Later ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack.

15.03.2019 (New Zealand) : 51 people were killed and 49 injured when a gunman opened fire at two mosques during Friday prayers in Christchurch, New Zealand.

27.01.2019 (Philippines) : Two suicide attackers detonate two bombs during a Mass in a Roman Catholic cathedral on the largely Muslim island of Jolo in the southern Philippines, killing 23 and wounding about 100 others.

27.10.2018 (USA) : A gunman entered Tree of Life Congregation synagogue in Pittsburgh and opened fire, killing 11 and wounding six, including four police officers.

24.11.2017 (Egypt) : Militants kill 311 worshippers in a mosque attack in north Sinai, the deadliest such terrorist attack in Egypt's modern history.

01.08.2017 (Afghanistan) : A suicide bomber storms into the largest Shiite mosque in Afghanistan's western Herat province, opening fire on worshippers before blowing himself up, killing at least 90 people. Hundreds more were wounded in the attack, which happened during evening prayers.

09.04.2017 (Egypt) : Twin suicide bombings rock churches in the Egyptian coastal city of Alexandria and Tanta, killing at least 45 people. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State group.

16.02.2017 (Pakistan) : Suicide bomber detonates his explosives vest among the devotees at the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Pakistan's Sindh province, killing 98.

11.12.2016 (Egypt) : Suicide bomber strikes inside a Cairo chapel adjacent to St. Mark's Cathedral, seat of Egypt's ancient Coptic Orthodox Church. The Islamic State group claimed the attack, which killed at least 25 people.

20.03.2015 (Yemen) : Islamic State suicide bombers attack a pair of mosques in Yemen's capital, unleashing monstrous blasts that ripped through worshippers and killed 137 people.

30.01.2015 (Pakistan) : Suicide bombing at a Shiite mosque in the Pakistani town of Shikarpur kills 71. Jundullah claims responsibility.

18.11.2014 (Israel) : Two Palestinians using axes, knives and a gun kill four Jewish worshippers and an Israeli police officer in an attack on a Jerusalem synagogue.

05.08.2012 (USA) :Six members of the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, in Oak Creek, are fatally shot by a white supremacist, Wade Michael Page. Page was shot by a responding officer and later killed himself.

31.10.2010 (Iraq) : Al-Qaida in Iraq militants attack Our Lady of Salvation Catholic Church in Baghdad during Sunday night mass, killing 58 people in the deadliest assault targeting Christians since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion there. Al-Qaida in Iraq later became the Islamic State group.

28.04.2007 (Iraq) : A car bomb exploded in front of the Shia Abbas ibn Ali shrine on 28 April. The bomb killed at least 68 people and injured about 170 in the Iraqi city of Karbala. The bomb exploded near the golden-domed mosque. Karbala is considered the second most important shrine city for the Shia.

05.07.2005 (India) : The heavily guarded Ram Janmabhoomi - Babri Masjid complex was attacked by armed terrorists. The attack was foiled by security officials and the attackers were killed after an hour-long encounter. The terrorists posed as pilgrims on their way to Ayodhya and boarded a Tata Sumo at Akbarpur near the Kichaucha village in Faizabad. At Faizabad they abandoned the Sumo and hired a jeep driven by a driver, Rehan Alam Amsari. The terror attack left two locals dead and injured seven paramilitary personnel. Five suspected JeM terrorists were eliminated by security forces in retaliatory action.

Read More:

1. Russian Region Of Dagestan Holds Day Of Mourning After Attacks Kill 20 People

Last Updated : Jun 24, 2024, 8:18 PM IST
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