MEASURING AND UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF TERRORISM

FIGURE 17 BATTLE-RELATED DEATHS FOR THE TALIBAN AND
THE GOVERNMENT OF AFGHANISTAN, 2003-2014
The conflict between the Government of Afghanistan and its allies and the
Taliban recorded the highest number of battle-related deaths in 2014. There
were 55 per cent more deaths in this conflict in 2014 than the previous year.
18,000
16,000
BATTLE-RELATED DEATHS
14,000
12,000
10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Source: UCDP
YEAR
Battle deaths are when state actors are involved and are therefore not defined as acts of
terrorism, but rather the result of war. As such, a group such as ISIL attacking a Syrian
Army regiment would not be classified as terrorism by either side but as a wartime
activity. Terrorism often invokes a distinct political or ideological message to be conveyed
to a larger audience than the immediate victims, which is another reason that battle
conflicts are not regarded as terrorism. UCDP defines battle-related deaths as fatalities
that are related to combat in a conflict. Typically, this is through conventional warfare
tactics involving the armed forces of the warring parties which includes traditional
battlefield fighting and bombardments. Whilst the targets are usually the military and its
installations there is often substantial collateral damage in the form of civilians killed in
crossfire and indiscriminate bombings. All deaths — military as well as civilian — incurred
in such situations are counted as battle-related deaths. 6
The five most deadly terrorist groups are also responsible for deaths not
categorised as terrorism. All of the groups also engaged in battle with either
government or non-state actors.
GLOBAL TERRORISM INDEX 2015 | Trends
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