Incident Summary:
09/28/2009: On Monday, in the village of Bavi in Ituri, Orientale, Congo (Kinshasa), assailants attacked the village, wounding two people by unknown means, kidnapping four people, and looting, setting fire to and damaging several houses in the village. The status of the hostages is unknown. No group claimed responsibility, although it was believed the Popular Front for Justice in the Congo (FPJC) was responsible.
Overview
GTD ID:
200909280023
When:
2009-09-28
Country:
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Region:
Sub-Saharan Africa
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Orientale
City:
Near Ituri
Location Details:
The attack took place in the village of Bavi, Ituri city.
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Armed Assault |
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 |
|
Specific Description |
The village of Bavi |
Nationality of Target |
Democratic Republic of the Congo |
Additional Information
Hostages |
Yes |
Number of Hostages |
4 |
US Hostages |
0 |
Outcome |
Unknown |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Yes |
Extent of Property Damage |
Minor (likely < $1 million) |
Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Unknown |
|
Incendiary |
Arson/Fire |
Weapon Details |
Unknown weapons were used in the attack. An unknown incendiary device was used in the attack. |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | Yes |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Additional Information |
This was one of four related attacks (cf. 200909280017, 200909280022 and 200909280024). The available sources listed the fatalities for these attacks cumulatively as zero, and the injuries for these attacks cumulatively as 10, so these figures have been distributed evenly for these cases in order to preserve statistical accuracy in the database. The available sources listed these attacks cumulatively, therefore making it unclear which attacks occurred in each village; so the attacks have been captured as occurring in all four villages in order to preserve statistical accuracy in the database. The available sources listed the hostages cumulatively as 17, so these figures have been distributed evenly for these cases in order to preserve statistical accuracy in the database. |
Who
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
0 Fatalities / 2 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
0 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
2 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
National Counterterrorism Center, "Ten People Injured, 17 Others Kidnapped by Suspected FPJC in Ituri, Orientale, Democratic Republic of the Congo," Worldwide Incidents Tracking System, January 20, 2010. |
Africa News, "Congo-Kinshasa; Uneven Progress on Peace in East, Says UN," LexisNexis Academic, Africa News, September 30, 2009. |
States News Services, "Uneven Progress in Democratic Republic of Congo, U.N. Reports," LexisNexis Academic, States News Services, September 30, 2009. |
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