Terrorism, a curse on humankind. Every now and then, some anti-social elements try to destroy peace and create a rift in the smooth functioning of society. Terrorism has claimed innumerable lives, devastating families, and leaving them in a state of turmoil. At the very beginning of the 21st century, the world woke up to 9/11. There has been a heightened focus on terror, its impact, and preparedness that follows ever since then. Today, India and Pakistan stand in a 'State of War' after the terror attack of 22 April 2025 in the Baiseran Valley of Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir.
26 Hindu tourists were killed and nearly 20 were injured[30]. It's 2025, and history has witnessed some of the deadliest terror attacks (the most lethal ones after 2001), with mass killings, hijackings, bombings, and what not. Let us walk down the lane on a path that no one shall ever want to walk upon, revisiting the history that no one shall ever want to remember...here are some of the worst heinous terror attacks ever:
| Twin towers, USA | 2001 |
| 26/11 Bombay terror attacks | 2018 |
| Iraq bombings, massacres, and attacks | 2007, 2014 |
| Israel | 2023 |
| Rwanda genocide | 1993-1994 |
| Mogadishu bombings, Somalia | 2017 |
| Mai Kadra Massacre, Ethiopia | 2020 |
| Syria | 2014 |
| Beslan Siege, Russia | 2004 |
| Sri Lankan Easter bombings | 2019 |
USA: September 11, 2001 (9/11)
Fumes of smoke take over the sky above the Pentagon headquarters as a hijacked airline crashes into the building on September 11, 2001 (Image source: United States Coast Guard)
A matter of a few moments, and everything changes forever. 25 years ago, it was the morning of September 11, 2001, New York City was buzzing as always, the Sun shining bright in the sky, and people gearing up for the day...unaware of the wrath that was coming their way. The 9/11 attacks are still considered to be the deadliest since 1970, when 19 Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four planes and attacked the Twin Towers in World Trade Center, New York City, and the Pentagon headquarters in Virginia[1].
As many as 2,600 people were killed at the World Trade Center,125 at the Pentagon, and 256 boarding the four planes. The Central Intelligence Agency identified Al-Qaeda behind the attack, led by Osama Bin Laden. The United States has waged a "global war on terrorism" since 9/11, which continues even today[1].
Mumbai, India: 2008 (26/11)
Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai, where six explosions occurred during the 26/11 attack (Image source: PBS Org)
A globally condemned act of terror that lasted for four days in Mumbai, India, killed a total of 260 people, including several foreigners. The Islamist terrorist attacks were carried out by 10 members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, an Islamist Militant Organization of Pakistan. A series of attacks, including mass shootings and bombings, occurred in Mumbai within four days, all well-planned and plotted[2].
By the morning of 28th November, all the sites were taken under control by security forces. Nine terrorists were killed, with the attack ending on November 29 after Operation Black Tornado by the National Security Guards, India, at the Taj Mahal Palace[3].
The last surviving terrorist, Ajmal Kasab, was executed by the Indian Government in 2012[4]. Tahawwur Rana, who is allegedly known to be the mastermind behind the 26/11 terror attack, was also been extradited from the United States on April 9, 2025. He is under strict probe by the investigation agencies as India continues efforts to bring those behind the terror to face justice[5].
There have been several other instances of terror attacks in Mumbai before 26/11. It has had its share of horror, especially with bombings, including:
1993 bomb explosions: 13 well-coordinated explosions avenging the Bombay riots. Around 257 people were killed in these explosions[10].
2002 BEST bus blast near Ghatkopar that claimed two lives, and left 28 people injured[6].
2003 bicycle bomb blast near the Vile Parle Station: It took away the life of one, injuring 25 others. The act was commenced a day before the scheduled Mumbai visit of the then Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee[7].
2003 blast at Mulund Station: It was a day after the 10th anniversary of the Bombay bombings, when another horrifying act awaited Mumbai city. A bomb exploded in a train compartment near Mulund Station, killing 10 people and leaving 70 injured[8].
2003 bomb explosions in South Mumbai: Two bombs exploded in South Mumbai, one at the Gateway of India, and the other one in Zaveri Bazaar, Kalbadevi. As many as 150 people were injured, and 44 were killed[9].
7 bombs: 11 minutes: 209 people dead - On 11th July 2006, the Suburban Railways in Mumbai exploded with seven planted bombs within 11 minutes. The bombing took away 209 lives (including 22 foreigners) and left more than 700 injured. Lashkar-e-Taiba and Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) were held responsible for the bombings[11].
A massive bombing carried out by ISIL, where a fuel tank full of explosives was crashed into a security check point South of Baghdad, as a part of scores of suicide bombings in the country (2016)
Sunni insurgents bombed Qahtaniya, Jazeera, and Tal Azir villages of Iraq, attacking Yazidi communities on August 14, 2007. The bombings killed around 800 people, wounding over 1500 others. The Yazidis are a non-Muslim religious and ethnic minority group in Iraq, persecuted by the Sunnis[12].
This wasn't the first or the last; Iraq has been dealing with such attacks time and again. Back in 2014, there were a series of attacks in Iraq that killed thousands:
Tikrit attack (ISIL): The Camp Speicher massacre, where ISIL fighters murdered around 1500 cadets of the Iraqi Shi'a Air Force. This brutal crime reveals how ISIL is immoral and inhumane in its being[13].
Sinjar Massacre (ISIS): Yet another barbaric act of ISIS, where the terrorists overran Sinjar, destroying the people and their culture. The terrorists assaulted and slaughtered Yazidis, taking siege of the city. Lakhs of people fled, thousands took refuge here and there, while hundreds of them were brutally killed[14].
Badush Prison Massacre (ISIL): The Badush Central Prison was attacked by ISIL, where the terrorists executed the prisoners from the Shi'a community. Along with them, the Christian and Sunni prisoners who helped or covered the Shi'a. Among the 3,000 prisoners in jail, ISIL gathered and executed around 1,000 Shi'a prisoners, solely killing them for their religion[15].
Karrada bombing (2016): One of the worst attacks on Iraq occurred right before the festival of Eid-ul-Fitr in the Karrada area of Baghdad. The massive car bombing claimed more than 300 lives, wounding hundreds[16][17].
Hamas militants killed thousands, leaving a 'trail of dead bodies' as referred by photographer Ziv Koren, who entered the city of Sderot that borders Gaza , frequently attacked since 2023
The militant group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, launching the largest-ever terrorist attack on Jewish soil in history. The Palestinian organization is declared a terrorist group by the EU and the US. Hamas stormed into Israel through Gaza, killing around 1,189 people, including 815 civilians. The attack left 7500 wounded, with Hamas taking 251 hostage[18].
This early morning attack has left the world in shock, shaking the peace of the globe. Israel counter-attacked, taking control of the localities captured by Hamas, and has been fighting a war with the militant group. Before this, there was an 11-day war back in 2021. Hamas claims that the attack was in response to the atrocities against Palestinians in Gaza[19].
The ongoing war for two years, ever since the Hamas attack in 2023, seems to have no end. Israel is looking to expand the war, with the cabinet approving plans for Gaza. It plans to keep the troops posted there, making arrangements for food and aid[20].
Pleading Rwandan children on the borders in Zaire after being separated from their mothers (Image source: Associated Press)
In 1994, the majority Hutu extremists attempted genocide against the moinority Tutsis in Rwanda. The massacres against Tutsis date back to 1990, which were repeated again in 1993. People weren't even spared even in churches, when they tried seeking refuge inside. This was on April 12-13 in 1994, when around 8,000 Tutsis were killed in Musha's Catholic Church Parish. The genocide was implemented across the country, with barbarous massacres all over, with women molested and raped[21]:
The horror of Somalian truck bombings that killed thousands in 2017
On October 14, 2017, a series of bombings were carried out by Al-Shaabab in the capital city of Somalia. The Mogadishu bombings shook Somalia and the whole of Africa, killing at least 512 people, often referred as their '9/11'. It left around 300 wounded and several missing. Two truck bombs blasted the city, followed by a second in Medina. Within no time, one of the busiest spots in the city turned to turmoil rising to flames.[22]
Al-Shaabab carried this insurgency in Somalia almost a decade ago, before this attack. The armed group has been fighting with the Government, wanting to impose Islam in the country. The U.S was also involved, backing the Somalian Government, leading at least 30 drone strikes in Somalia that year[22].
Hundreds of people died in Somalia in 2017 in most of the attacks carried out by Al-Shabaab. right from the beginning of the year. Most of the encountered attacks were bombings[23].
Ethiopia's Tigray crisis: A horrifying Mai Kadra massacre in Ethiopia (Image source: Reuters)
On the night of November 9, 2020, the Samri Militia and Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) led to the Mai Kadra massacre in Ethiopia. The deadly attack claimed over 600 lives, streets all covered with dead bodies soaked in blood, the most devastating sight ever. This condemning act was carried over the conflict between federal forces of Ethiopia and the Tigray regional forces. Those attacked were all civilians, mostly day labourers who were attacked with sharp objects like knives, axes, and machetes, without any signs of gun wounds[24].
In Syria, people live in a nightmare encountering death daily
Life is an act of survival in Syria amidst all the bombings and killings. The most deadly terror attack recorded was in 2014, at the Tabqa Air Base, carried out by ISIL, which claimed 517 lives. The battle of the Tabqa Air base, the last bastion of the Syrian Military forces, was ultimately won by ISIL, bringing it under its control after two weeks of fighting[25]. ISIL began with assaults at Rakka, Al-Hasakah and Aleppo. Out of those killed, there were 200 Syrian soldiers, and around 346 ISIL fighters.
Apart from those killed in war, there was also a mass execution of the captured Syrian Prisoners of War (POW)[26].
Beslan school seige: Russia 'failed', the World 'failed' (Image source: AFP)
A group of armed men bursts through the school frontiers and takes hostage, sparing none, be it the children. That's what happened in Russia, back in 2004. Early morning on September 1, when the school was ready to mark the start of the year, the militants started the siege, taking 1100 people hostage, including 777 children too. The siege lasted for three days, until the Russian Military launched an operation to free the hostages on September 3[27].
The act is considered to be the most horrifying acts in history, one of the deadliest school shooting instances. As many as 330 people were killed in the attack, most of them children[27].
Multiple bombings on Easter resulted in major fatalities (Image source: AP Press)
The Sri Lankan Easter bombings are said to be the worst ever terror attacks in South Asia. It was Easter Sunday on April 19, 2019 when Islamist terrorists led to a eight suicide bombings one after another within six hours of time. The terror attack was co-ordinated targeting three major cities of Sri Lanka: Colombo, Negombo and Batticaloa. Nine suicide bombers, three churches, and three hotels, an attack resulting in fatalities of over 253 persons[28].
As many as 15 terror suspects involved in the April 21 attack were dead in a raid that followed, claimed to be a part of the larger picture. Two Sri Lanka based Islamist organizations implemented the act with IS (Islamic State)[28].
India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Maldives have long been threatened of terrorism, with thousands of lives accounted of Islamist terrorism, Left-wing extremism, and Maoist fatalities[28].
Terrorism perpetrates globally, meant to cause as many as 1 in 2000 deaths (2019)[29]. Terrorism is not rare, for the number of deaths it causes, it is a growing concern today. In the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack in India, it calls for a global stance against terrorism. The world should come together against it. Well, no country or force could never be prepared for these attacks, it is necessary that we identify those behind, and make sure that any potential threats are countered before they cause any harm. If we do not, it will continue the damage, costing the world its peace.
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