Incident Summary:
05/05/2001: The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) attacked Caxito, Angola, in the Bengo Province. It was believed that UNITA attacked to destroy a bridge over the Dange River to disrupt the flow of good between the Zaire and Uige provinces. The attack resulted in the death of at least 76 civilians with another 20 injured and 120 kidnapped. At least 60 of the 120 kidnapped were students from the Development Aid of the People for the People. The Angolan Armed Forces rescued 21 of the kidnapped students six days after the attack. 19 rebels from the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola were killed in the attack.
Overview
GTD ID:
200105050001
When:
2001-05-05
Country:
Angola
Region:
Sub-Saharan Africa
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Bengo
City:
Caxito
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Hostage Taking (Kidnapping) |
Type of Attack () |
Facility/Infrastructure Attack |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Private Citizens & Property |
Name of Entity |
Civilians |
Specific Description |
Angolan civilians in the town of Caxito |
Nationality of Target |
Angola |
Target Type: Transportation |
Name of Entity |
Bridge |
Specific Description |
Bridge over the Dange River |
Nationality of Target |
Angola |
Additional Information
Hostages |
Yes |
Number of Hostages |
120 |
US Hostages |
0 |
Outcome |
Combination |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Yes |
Extent of Property Damage |
Unknown |
Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Firearms |
Unknown Gun Type |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Additional Information |
Twenty-one of the hostages were rescued six days after the attack. The fate of the remaining hostages is unknown. Casualty numbers for this incident conflict across sources. Following GTD protocol, the lowest reliableestimates are reported here. One report on the incident stated that there were 100 civilians killed in the attack. Another report on the same incident stated that 76 civilians were killed. |
Who
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
95 Fatalities / 20 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
95 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
19 |
Total Number of Injured |
20 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
Unknown |
Sources
Sources
"Angolan Television reports on UNITA attack against Caxito,” Luanda Televisao Publica de Angola, May 6, 2001. |
"Angolan official discusses UNITA raid on Caxito,” Luanda Radio Nacional de Angola, May 6, 2001. |
"Angolan Army rescue 21 of 60 children kidnapped by UNITA after Caxito attack,” Luanda Jornal de Angola (Internet Version-WWW), May 11, 2001. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties