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Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, there has been an increased awareness and focus on terrorism around the world.

But while 9/11 was certainly one of the worst terrorist attacks in world history, it was far from the only one. 

Below are some of the other most devastating terrorist attacks around the world.

From bombings to hijackings to mass shootings, these attacks have claimed thousands of lives and left families and communities reeling from the aftermath, Darrick reports.

New York - September 11, 2001

On that fateful day, 19 terrorists hijacked four airplanes and launched coordinated attacks on New York and Washington, changing the course of history forever.

21 years after the September 11 attacks

2,996 people were killed in the attacks and over 6,000 were injured, making it the deadliest terrorist attack in human history.

In response to the attacks, the United States launched a "war on terror" that continues today.

Boko Haram insurgency - July 26, 2009

Boko Haram, which means "Western education is forbidden" in Hausa, was founded in 2002. However, it was only in 2009 that they began to gain strength and carry out attacks.

On July 26, 2009, Boko Haram carried out its first major attack.

They began their attack with a shootout at the police headquarters in Bauchi city.

This was followed by a series of attacks on police stations and government buildings.

In response, the Nigerian military launched an operation against Boko Haram.

However, this only angered the group even more.

 Over 1,000 people are believed to have lost their lives during the Boko Haram insurgency.

Between 2009 and 2015, Boko Haram carried out a number of attacks.

In this period of time, they bombed the United Nations headquarters in Abuja, killing at least 21 people and injuring 60. They also carried out an attack in Baga, where a large number of Boko Haram fighters overran the city and stormed the headquarters of the Multinational Joint Task Force and military base.

The death toll is believed to be over 700.

Yumbi Violence - December 16, 2018

At least 890 people were killed in Yumbi and three other nearby villages (Bongende, Nkolo and Camp Nbanzi) in Mai-Ndombe province, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), between 16 and 18 December 2018. The violence was sparked by a dispute over a funeral. of a local chief.

The violence in the fishing village of Bongende was the worst in years.

Approximately 465 houses and buildings were burned or looted.

Many people were left homeless and without food and water.

The killings took place amid a long-standing rivalry between the Banunu and Batende ethnic groups.

Tensions had been simmering for months before tragedy struck.

The UN condemned the violence and called for an investigation.

The DRC government has deployed troops to the area in an attempt to restore order.

On August 14, 2007, Yazidi communities in Iraq were bombed by Sunni insurgents.

The attacks killed over 796 people and injured another 1,500. The bombings were some of the deadliest attacks on the Yazidi community in Iraq.

The attacks were aimed at two villages in northern Iraq: Qahtania and Jazeera.

Both villages are inhabited by Yazidis, a religious minority group that is persecuted by Sunni Muslims.

Both villages were devastated by the bombing.

Many homes and businesses were destroyed and many people were killed or injured.

The attacks left Iraq's Yazidi community reeling.

The bombings in Mogadishu - October 14, 2017.

The Mogadishu bombings on 14 October 2017 were a series of bombings that took place in the capital of Somalia.

The attacks killed over 587 people and injured hundreds more.

The majority of the victims were civilians, including many women and children.

The bombings were carried out by a group of suicide bombers who drove trucks loaded with explosives into busy markets and then detonated them.

The explosions caused widespread destruction, leveling entire buildings and leaving large craters on the ground.

The death toll from the bombings is the highest of any terrorist attack in Somalia's history, and it is also one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Africa.

Somalia's government blamed al-Shabaab for the attacks.

The bombings are speculated to be in retaliation for a failed US-led attack in August.

Cinema Rex Fire, Iran - 20 August 1978

Cinema Rex was one of the most popular movie theaters in Abadan, Iran.

On the night of August 19, 1978, while people were watching The Stag, four men locked the doors and doused the theater with jet fuel and set it on fire.

The resulting fire killed between 377 and 470 people.

Only a few hundred people managed to escape.

The attack was a major factor in triggering the Iranian Revolution, which led to the overthrow of the Iranian monarchy.

School siege in Beslan, Russia - September 1, 2004.

The siege began early on the morning of September 1 when a group of armed men stormed the school during a ceremony to mark the start of the school year.

The fighters took more than 1,100 people hostage, including 777 children.

The siege lasted three days and ended on September 3, when Russian security forces launched a military operation to free the hostages.

During the siege, over 330 people were killed, most of them children, as well as 31 attackers.

It is believed to be the deadliest school shooting in history.

The Beslan school siege was a tragedy that shook the world.

She also highlighted the problem of terrorism in Russia and the need for the country to find a way to deal with this growing threat.

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