Incident Summary:
07/22/2001: Two soldiers and a high-ranking officer were killed when Tutsi rebels attempted to overthrow the current government regime in Bujumbura, Kayanza province, Burundi. When the rebels realized the coup attempt had failed, they split into two groups and fled, taking Libere Hicuburundi, an army Brigadier-General, with them. The rebels surrendered twelve hours later in Ngozi and at a camp in Kayanza. Hicuburundi was thought to have been released unharmed.
Overview
GTD ID:
200107220005
When:
2001-07-22
Country:
Burundi
Region:
Sub-Saharan Africa
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Bujumbura Mairie
City:
Bujumbura
Location Details:
Bujumbura, the Burundi capital
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Armed Assault |
Type of Attack () |
Hostage Taking (Kidnapping) |
Successful Attack? () |
No |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Government (General) |
Name of Entity |
The Burundi government |
Specific Description |
The government of Burundi |
Nationality of Target |
Burundi |
Target Type: Military |
Name of Entity |
Military members in Bujumbura |
Specific Description |
Libere Hicuburundi and three other military members |
Nationality of Target |
Burundi |
Additional Information
Hostages |
Yes |
Number of Hostages |
1 |
US Hostages |
0 |
Hours of Kidnapping |
12 |
Days of Kidnapping |
0 |
Outcome |
Hostage(s) released by perpetrators |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Unknown |
Extent of Property Damage |
Unknown |
Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Unknown |
|
Weapon Details |
No weapon detail was provided. |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
Yes |
Alternate Designation () |
Insurgency/Guerilla Action |
Additional Information |
The rebels were thought to have committed robbery and other crimes while they were on the run. They later surrendered and were being questioned by government officials in an Ngozi prison. Authorities were in the process of determining what their punishment should be. |
Who
Perpetrator Group Information
Group Name |
Claimed Responsibility |
Tutsi extremists |
Yes (Confirmed: Unknown; Mode: Other) |
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
3 Fatalities |
Total Number of Fatalities |
3 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
Unknown |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
Maria Eismont, "Fear grips Burundi countryside after coup bid," Reuters, July 29, 2001. |
Maria Eismont, "Leaders of Burundi coup bid surrender," Reuters, July 23, 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