Fatalities Categories FAQ

Accident - Other

2009-01-15T06:57:44.119+05:00

Any accident not cover by any other of the accident categories.

Demining Accident

2009-01-15T06:55:23.469+05:00

Any accident that takes place as a result of demining activity performed by humanitarian deminers.

Landmine Accident

2009-01-15T06:48:24.688+05:00

Any accident involving landmines but not including demining accidents.

Maritime Accident

2009-01-15T06:42:18.488+05:00

Any accident that involves waterborne transportation.

Motor Vehicle Accident

2009-01-15T06:41:20.548+05:00

Accidents involving cars, trucks, buses, or other motorized ground transportation are included in this category.

Aviation Accident

2009-01-15T06:38:42.371+05:00

Plane crashes and helicopter accidents are included in this category.

Other

2009-01-15T06:23:59.952+05:00

Any violent incident resulting in the death of an aid worker that does not fall in one of the categories above.

Unknown

2009-01-15T06:15:53.189+05:00

This category includes incidents in which there is insufficient detail to indicate the cause of death.

Killing - Unknown

2009-01-15T06:05:56.625+05:00

Any incident that involves the direct death of an aid worker in which the motive is unknown.

Killing - Political/Conflict

2009-01-15T05:57:22.033+05:00

Any incident that involves the direct death of an aid worker in which the primary motive appears to be for political, or conflict related motives.

Crossfire

2009-01-15T05:54:53.077+05:00

The crossfire category includes fatalities that are the result of gunfire from two or more directions passing through the same area. Crossfire often results in the killing or wounding of non-combatants including aid workers.

The crossfire category does not include those incidents that intentionally result in the death of aid workers.

Killing - Criminal

2009-01-15T05:53:00.046+05:00

Any incident that involves the direct death of an aid worker in which the primary motive appears to be for criminal personal gain.

Suicide Attack - VBIED

2009-01-15T05:43:48.874+05:00

A VBIED is a Vehicle-borne Improvised Explosive Device. In this case the incident involves the intentional death of the attacker while using a VBIED.

Suicide Attack - BBIED

2009-01-15T05:34:59.764+05:00

BBIED stands for Body-Borne Improvised Explosive Device. It is the classic suicide bomber; simply a person wearing an explosive device.

IED/RCIED

2009-01-15T05:19:06.660+05:00

IED stands for Improvised Explosive Device. An RCIED is a remote controlled IED. IEDs are often referred to as roadside bombs by the media.

Incidents in which an aid worker is killed by an IED or RCIED are included in this category.

Shelling/Rocket Attack

2009-01-15T05:06:11.492+05:00

This category includes any incident in which the fatality is the result of an artillery or surface-to-surface missile or rocket attack.

Aerial Bombing

2009-01-15T04:51:56.007+05:00

The aerial bombing category includes any incident in which the fatality is the result of an attack from the air.

Ambush

2009-01-15T04:48:49.936+05:00

An ambush is very similar to crossfire except that there is an intention to target a particular person, groups of people or vehicles.

Cases of mistaken identity, (i.e. an aid vehicle is mistaken for a a government/rebel vehicle and subsequently deliberately fired upon) are included in this category. Ambushes in which the target is any vehicle or person are also included in this category.