Religious places have tragically become frequent targets of terror attacks due to their profound symbolic importance, high visibility, and the concentration of people during worship. These attacks are often motivated by a desire to incite fear, provoke sectarian conflict, and garner widespread attention, leaving lasting scars on communities and the world. Here’s a glimpse into some of the deadliest terror attacks on religious places across the globe:
On March 4, 2022, a bomb ripped through a Shiite mosque in Peshawar, Pakistan, resulting in the deaths of at least 57 people and injuries to over 100. This attack, one of the worst in Pakistan in recent years, served as a stark reminder of the ongoing threat of terrorism.
In a series of coordinated suicide bombings on April 21, 2019, Sri Lanka’s St Sebastian’s Church in Negombo, St Anthony’s Shrine in Colombo, and Zion Church in Batticaloa were targeted, claiming the lives of 259 people and injuring more than 500. This horrific act of violence shocked the nation and the world, highlighting the vulnerability of religious sites to such attacks.
On March 15, 2019, in Christchurch, New Zealand, a gunman opened fire on worshippers during Friday prayers at the Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre, leaving 51 people dead and 40 injured. This hate-fueled attack, driven by anti-Muslim sentiment, sparked global condemnation and renewed calls for combating Islamophobia.
On January 17, 2019, two suicide attackers detonated bombs during Mass at a Roman Catholic cathedral on the predominantly Muslim island of Jolo in the southern Philippines. The attack resulted in the deaths of 23 people and injuries to approximately 100 others. Three days later, a grenade was thrown into a mosque in nearby Zamboanga City, killing two religious teachers, further illustrating the spread of violence in the region.
On October 27, 2018, a truck driver fueled by hatred of Jews stormed the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, opening fire on congregants during Sabbath morning services. Eleven people were killed in this act of antisemitic terror, marking one of the deadliest attacks on a Jewish community in the United States.
In one of the deadliest attacks in Egypt’s history, militants attacked the Al-Rawda Mosque in Bir al-Abed, Sinai Peninsula, on November 24, 2017, killing over 300 worshippers and injuring more than 100. This tragic incident highlighted the vulnerability of religious institutions to extremist violence and underscored the need for enhanced security measures.
On August 1, 2017, a suicide bomber stormed the largest Shiite mosque in Afghanistan’s western Herat province, opening fire on worshippers before detonating his explosives, resulting in at least 90 deaths and hundreds of injuries. The attack, which occurred during evening prayers, was a devastating blow to the community and a reminder of the ongoing conflict in the region.
On February 16, 2017, a suicide bomber detonated his explosive vest among devotees at the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Pakistan’s Sindh province, killing 98. This attack, targeting a revered Sufi shrine, underlined the reach of extremist violence into different religious communities.
On September 24, 2002, terrorists belonging to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror outfits attacked the Akshardham Temple complex in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India. The attack, which resulted in the deaths of 30 people and injuries to over 80, was a horrific assault on a Hindu temple.
The Musha Church Massacre, which took place during the Rwandan Genocide in April 1994, serves as a grim reminder of the horrors that can unfold when religious hatred fuels violence. At the Musha Church in Musha, a town in Rwanda’s Kigali Province, over 1,180 people were killed in a brutal act of genocide, highlighting the devastating consequences of intolerance and systematic violence.
These are just a few examples of the many terror attacks that have targeted religious places across the world. These tragedies underscore the urgent need for global cooperation to combat extremism, protect religious communities, and ensure the safety and sanctity of places of worship.
