Attachments
Based on incidents where aid workers1 were reportedly killed, kidnapped or arrested (KKA), identified through open sources and verified submissions from our 28 partner agencies.
KKA data overview
• The number of incidents and affected aid workers peaked in the first three months of 2018. April and May also recorded high numbers.
• There was an overall downward trend in reported incidents and the number of aid workers affected in the second half of 2018 (from 176 incidents/358 aid workers to 73 incidents/152 aid workers).
• During the first three months of 2018, 53 aid workers in Bangladesh were detained during passport and visa checks at or near IDP camps in Chittagong division.
• In January, five aid workers were killed in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, in an ISIS attack on a NGO compound that lasted eight hours; 27 other staff members were also injured in the incident.
• Between February and May, 36 aid workers were kidnapped while travelling in the central and western Equatoria states, South Sudan.
Many incidents occurred as agencies entered previously inaccessible areas where there have been reports of mistrust between conflict parties who have accused aid workers of being spies.
• In March 2018, 26 aid workers were killed in Syria during the fall of Eastern Ghouta to Syrian government forces.
• In August, 17 aid workers were kidnapped in eastern DRC by armed groups that included the Forces Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda (FDLR) and Mai-Mai.
Aid workers reportedly killed
• 155 aid workers killed in 108 incidents across in 18 countries.
• A high number of aid workers were reportedly killed in Syria (81), followed by South Sudan (15) and Afghanistan (14).
Aid workers reportedly kidnapped
• 171 aid workers kidnapped in 64 incidents across 21 countries.
• A high number of aid workers were reportedly kidnapped in South Sudan (52), the DRC (32), Afghanistan (17).
Aid workers reportedly arrested
• 184 aid workers arrested in 81 incidents across 27 countries.
• A high number of aid workers were reportedly arrested in Bangladesh (61), South Sudan (53) and Syria (11).
KKA 2018 dataset and quick charts are available on HDX