APAC hit by record number of terrorist attacks

Asia Pacific registered record numbers of incidents of terrorism in the year to 30 April 2018, with 1,392 attacks, according to new figures from specialist global risk consultancy Control Risks.

The global threat posed by IS-inspired terrorism is growing and spreading. Comparing Islamist terror threat with the picture before ISIS emerged,  Control Risks found the number of attacks in 2013 – 2,676 – to have almost doubled to 5,276 in the year to the end of April 2018. 

Government facilities and the security forces generally bear the brunt of terror attacks across the world. If these two categories are lifted from the figures, the report reveals that: Retail was the most targeted corporate sector globally.

There were large variances though between the regions. In the EU, the entertainment sector was most targeted, followed by hospitality and rail. In Asia Pacific and sub-Saharan Africa, road (vehicles and infrastructure) was the most targeted sector, followed by hospitality in Africa and education in Asia Pacific.

“There are measures organisations can take to reduce the risks of the threat posed by terrorism to their staff and operations. Monitoring the threat landscape and focusing on any trends, targets and methods, will assist in reducing exposure. In addition, there are tactical mitigation measures that can be implemented, such as security awareness and active assailant training for staff, crisis management exercising and incorporating security design into physical assets, that will help to reduce the impact of a terrorist incident” says Matthew Oyston, principal, Australia Pacific, Control Risks.