Incident Summary:
10/10/2012: Assailants abducted Joshua Boyle, a Canadian citizen, and Caitlan Coleman, a United States citizen, in Saydabad district, Wardak, Afghanistan. Boyle and Coleman were rescued by Pakistani security forces on October 10, 2017, along with their three children who were born in captivity. The Haqqani Network claimed responsibility for the kidnapping and demanded that the execution of Taliban members be stopped. Sources also attributed the attack to the Taliban.
Overview
GTD ID:
201210120005
When:
2012-10-10
Country:
Afghanistan
Region:
South Asia
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Wardak
City:
Saydabad
What
Attack Information
| Type of Attack () |
Hostage Taking (Kidnapping) |
| Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
| Target Type: Private Citizens & Property |
|---|
| Name of Entity |
Not Applicable |
| Specific Description |
Civilian: Caitlan Coleman |
| Nationality of Target |
United States |
| Target Type: Private Citizens & Property |
|---|
| Name of Entity |
Not Applicable |
| Specific Description |
Civilian: Joshua Boyle |
| Nationality of Target |
Canada |
Additional Information
| Hostages |
Yes |
| Number of Hostages |
2 |
| US Hostages |
1 |
| Days of Kidnapping |
1826 |
| Outcome |
Successful Rescue |
| Ransom |
No |
| Property Damage |
No |
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 |
Sources stated that Coleman was sexually assaulated while in captivity. Sources also suggested that the video released by the Haqqani Network was intended to coerce the Afghan government not to carry out the execution of Anas Haqqani, the son of a Haqqani Network leader. |
Who
Perpetrator Group Information
| Group Name |
Claimed Responsibility |
| Haqqani Network |
Yes (Confirmed: Unknown; Mode: Video) |
| Taliban |
No |
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 |
1 |
| Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
| "Afghan hostage couple decry 'Kafkaesque nightmare'," BBC, December 20, 2016. |
| "Caitlan Coleman, Joshua Boyle Held In Afghanistan," The Associated Press, June 5, 2014. |
| "Freed hostage says Haqqani abductors raped wife, killed baby," Straits Times, October 14, 2017. |
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
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