Dar Al Hamma Airport terrorist attack
| Dar Al Hamma Airport terrorist attack | |
|---|---|
| Part of Salamati Civil War | |
| Location | Dar Al Hamma-Shahid Airport, El Shahid, Salamat |
| Date | November 13, 1996 1:46 pm (UTC-01:00) |
| Target | Innocents |
Attack type | Suicide bombing and Bomb attack |
| Deaths | 293 |
Non-fatal injuries | 1,207 |
| Perpetrators | Armed Islamic Group (AIG) |
| Assailants | Shukri Tahrar |
| Motive | Islamic fundamentalism |
The Dar Al Hamma Airport terrorist attack was perpetrated on November 13, 1996 by Shukri Tahrar in the Dar Al Hamma-Shahid Airport, El Shahid, Salamat.
Course of the attack
The suicide-bomber enters the airport at 1:28 pm with a backpack and two suitcases full of explosives. He escapes the security at the entry and searches a crowded place. He detonates his explosive belt and his explosives in his backpack and suitcases at 1:46 pm, in front of the check-in gate 89. The explosion was so intense it created two gas leaks who later exploded and the explosion was audible in Dar Khechibla, 1,5 km west of the airport. 15 bombs were also dispatched in the airport prior to November 13. The southern half of the airport was in a bad shape and the airport was closed for 2 years for reconstruction. This terrorist attack is the deadliest of the Salamati Civil War, with 293 deaths and 1,207 wounded.
The AIG supposedly planned to explode the northern half of the airport, where most of the bombs were localized and where most of the airline agencies were located.
Consequences
The people protested in the streets the day after against terrorism and islamism. A minute of silence was observed in enterprises, schools, offices, streets, everywhere and the day was a day off. After this terrorist attack, an estimated 75 000 men volunteered to fight terrorists with the government, and other created militias. The air traffic from and to Salamat in 1997 decreased of 75% compared to 1995 due to worries from foreign people about terrorists and the closure of the airport of Dar Al Hamma, the most important airport of the country.