India ranked third in US State Department's countries hit by terrorism report

According to a US State Department report, India has witnessed the third highest number of terrorist attacks in 2016 Iraq and Afghanistan experienced the highest number of terrorist attacks in 2016 However, the lethality of the attacks in India have been much lower

The US State Department released its Country Reports on Terrorism 2016 which gives details of terrorism and counter-terrorism activities in different countries around the world. 

According to the report, India has witnessed the third highest number of terrorist attacks in 2016, more than Pakistan. The number of terrorist attacks in India increased by 16 per cent in 2016, and the total number of deaths too went up by 17 per cent.

Iraq with 2,965 terrorist attacks, followed by Afghanistan with 1,340 attacks, was ranked first and the second position in the list. India that recorded 927 attacks and Pakistan with 734 ranks third and fourth respectively.

The report said more than half of the terrorist attacks in India in 2016 took place in four states: Jammu and Kashmir (19 per cent), Chhattisgarh (18 per cent), Manipur (12 per cent), and Jharkhand (10 per cent).

The report also stated that most of the attacks were perpetrated by the Communist Party of India-Maoist.

The lethality of the attacks though was relatively less compared to that of the other countries on the list.

On average, terror attacks in India led to 0.4 deaths per attack in 2016, compared to 2.4 deaths per attack worldwide, the report said. Nearly three-quarters of attacks at 73 per cent in India in 2016 were non-lethal.

The deadliest attack in India in 2016 took place in July when the Communist Party of India – Maoist detonated explosives and opened fire on Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in Bihar. Sixteen people were killed in the attack, including six assailants.

(With inputs from PTI)