Terrorist Attacks in Sub-Saharan Africa from 1970 through 2020: Analysis and Impact from a Counter-Terrorism Medicine Perspective

Hata, Ryan; Hart, Alexander; Hertelendy, Attila; Tin, Derrick; Taubman, Cara; Cheng, Lenard; Ciottone, Gregory R.

doi:10.1017/s1049023x23000080

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 36 publications

(40 reference statements)

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“…The choice of Tema metropolis was based on a number of reasons. First, it has been established that within sub-Saharan Africa, terrorist attacks are predominantly targeted at densely populated areas, as well as areas that boast significant public and private properties (Hata et al , 2023). Second, residents in Tema metropolis have been commended by the regional police command for their vigilance, involvement and commitment to curbing crime through collaborative exchanges with the police (Modern-Ghana, 2022).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although terrorism is a global challenge, available statistics show that sub-Saharan Africa remains one of the identified hotspots for increasing terrorist activities. In a recent study conducted by Hata et al (2023), the authors reported that sub-Saharan Africa accounts for approximately 50% of terror-related fatalities globally in 2021. The researchers provided an understanding of the trajectory of terrorist activities spanning five decades in the region.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Fear of terrorist attacks and psychological distress in Sub-Saharan Africa: moderated mediation model

Hevi,

Agbenorxevi,

Malcalm

et al. 2023

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Purpose This paper aims to investigate the moderated-mediation roles of perception of police response to crime and digital interclass coalition against crime between fear of terrorist attacks and psychological distress among residents of Tema Metropolis in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach A cluster sampling technique was used in the selection of 577 residents who answered questions on fear of terrorism, perception of police response to crime, digital interclass coalition against crime and psychological distress. The study used regression analysis to assess the hypothesized paths. Findings The findings show that digital interclass coalition against crime moderates the partially mediated relationship between perception of police response to crime and residents’ psychological distress. Research limitations/implications The study is limited in scope by the generalization of its findings, as it was restricted to only residents of Tema Metropolis in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Originality/value This research is one of the first in criminal psychology to explore the relevance of police-public engagement in averting large-scale crime in an emerging economy.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fear of terrorist attacks and psychological distress in Sub-Saharan Africa: moderated mediation model

Hevi,

Agbenorxevi,

Malcalm

et al. 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…As an example of the utility of this process, consider a recent retrospective look at terrorism in Sub-Saharan Africa from 1970 to 2020 published by the World Association for Disaster and Emergency (Hata et al, 2023). The study sought to understand how Counter-Terrorism Medicine (CTM) initiatives might improve health care outcomes through an analysis of types of terrorism that occurred in the region over the last 50 years using the Global Terrorism Database.…”

Section: An Integrated Picture Of Terrorismmentioning

confidence: 99%

Meta-Analysis and the Integration of Terrorism Event Databases

Jones

2024

International Journal of Cyber Warfare and Terrorism

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Why do terrorist attacks occur in certain places and times but not others? Despite advances in collection and empirical methods, the literature has produced divergent results and reached little consensus for common hypotheses about the economic, political, and social causes of terrorism. It is hard to know what to make disagreements as studies adopt disparate research designs using different datasets covering different locations and times. This article applies the xSub data protocol to conduct a meta-analysis of terrorism event datasets and isolate explanations for variations in findings. Although the datasets are constructed for different purposes by different research teams, with different inclusion standards, processing data onto a common event typology, and conducting analysis across common coverage reduces heterogeneity in findings. This protocol also facilitates comparisons with general conflict event datasets, providing researchers, policymakers, and practitioners with a broader context for understanding terrorism in relation to other forms of violence.

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“…The majority of the attacks occurred in the Middle East and North African countries, but the involvement of Sub-Saharan African states was also significant. 11,12 Specific publications regarding attacks on the African continent were not available, although it appears that African countries are experiencing an increasing number of terrorist attacks of this type. 13 There are several reasons that make emergency vehicles attractive targets for terrorists.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Review of Ambulance Terrorism on the African Continent

Besenyő

Barten

Cauwer

et al. 2023

Prehosp. Disaster med.

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Background: In recent decades, an increasing number of terrorist attacks have been carried out against medical institutions, hospitals, and health care workers. These attacks, that often result in high numbers of casualties and impaired access to health services, have a more significant impact on people’s sense of security than attacks against military and police targets. Attacks on ambulances – especially on the African continent – have been sparsely studied. This study examines attacks on ambulances on the African continent during the period from 1992-2022 (until December 31, 2021). Methods: Reports of ambulance terrorism were extracted from the Global Terrorism Database (GTD), RAND Database of Worldwide Terrorism Incidents (RDWTI), United Nation’s Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition (SHCC) database, Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), Surveillance System for Attacks on Health Care (SSA) database, and Aid Worker Security Database (AWSD). Furthermore, a grey literature search was performed. The date and location of the attacks, perpetrators, weapon and attack types, and the number of victims (dead and wounded) and hostages were collected. Results were exported into an Excel spreadsheet (Microsoft Corp.; Redmond, Washington USA) for analysis. Results: During the 30-year study period, 166 attacks were observed in 18 African countries. The number of attacks significantly increased since 2016, with 81.3% of the attacks taking place from 2016 to 2022. In total, 193 people died and another 208 were injured. Attacks with firearms were most frequently noted (92 cases; 55.4%), followed by attacks with explosive devices (26 cases; 15.7%). A significant number of ambulances were hijacked (26 cases; 15.7%) and subsequently used for other terrorist attacks. In seven attacks, ambulances were used as vehicle-born improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs). Conclusion: In this database study on ambulance terrorism in Africa, it was found that the reported occurrence of attacks increased from 2013 onwards, including the rise of ambulances used as VBIEDs. These findings suggest that ambulance terrorism represents a real, significant risk that both governments and health care institutions must address.

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Terrorist Attacks in Sub-Saharan Africa from 1970 through 2020: Analysis and Impact from a Counter-Terrorism Medicine Perspective

Cited by 5 publications

References 36 publications

Fear of terrorist attacks and psychological distress in Sub-Saharan Africa: moderated mediation model

Fear of terrorist attacks and psychological distress in Sub-Saharan Africa: moderated mediation model

Meta-Analysis and the Integration of Terrorism Event Databases

A Review of Ambulance Terrorism on the African Continent

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