As of 2026-10-12, Beslan school siege tops the list with 334 deaths.
- #1 Beslan school siege — 334 deaths
2004 terrorist attack in North Ossetia, Russian Federation
The Beslan school siege, also referred to as the Beslan school hostage crisis or the Beslan massacre, was an Islamic terrorist attack that occurred from 1 September 2004 to 3 September 2004 in the town of Beslan, North Ossetia, Russia. It lasted three days, and involved the imprisonment of more than 1,100 people as hostages, including 777 children. The hostages — primarily children, their parents, and school staff — were held by terrorists in a building rigged with explosives under severe... Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #2 Moscow theater hostage crisis — 174 deaths
seizure of a crowded Dubrovka Theater in Russia that happened in 2002
The Moscow theater hostage crisis, also known as the 2002 Nord-Ost siege, was the seizure of the crowded Dubrovka Theater in Moscow by Chechen terrorists on 23 October 2002, resulting in the taking of 912 hostages. The attackers, led by Movsar Barayev, claimed allegiance to the rebel breakaway movement in Chechnya. They demanded the withdrawal of Russian forces from Chechnya and an end to the Second Chechen War. The crisis ended when Russian security services released sleeping gas into the... Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #3 Orlando nightclub shooting — 50 deaths
mass shooting at gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida
On June 12, 2016, 29-year-old Omar Mateen shot and killed 49 people and wounded 58 in a mass shooting at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, United States. Pulse was hosting a "Latin Night", and most of the victims were of Latino descent. Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #4 Attica Prison riot — 43 deaths
1971 prisoner riot at the Attica Correctional Facility in Attica, New York, USA
The Attica Prison riot took place at the Attica Correctional Facility state prison in Attica, New York. The riot started on September 9, 1971, with a violent takeover of the prison control center in which one prison officer, William Quinn, was killed. It ended on September 13 with the highest number of fatalities in the history of United States prison riots. Of the 43 men who died, all but one guard and three inmates were killed by law enforcement gunfire when the state retook control of the... Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #5 Coastal Road massacre — 35 deaths
1978 attack involving the hijacking of a bus on Israel's Coastal Highway
The coastal road massacre occurred on 11 March 1978, when Palestinian militants hijacked a bus on the Coastal Highway of Israel and murdered its occupants; 38 Israeli civilians, including 13 children, were killed as a result of the attack while 76 more were wounded. The attack was planned by the influential Palestinian militant leader Khalil al-Wazir and carried out by Fatah, a Palestinian nationalist party co-founded by al-Wazir and Yasser Arafat in 1959. The initial plan of the militants was... Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #6 New Mexico State Penitentiary riot — 33 deaths
most violent prison riot in U.S. history
The New Mexico State Penitentiary riot, which took place on February 2 and 3, 1980, at the Penitentiary of New Mexico (PNM) south of Santa Fe, was the most violent prison riot in U.S. history in terms of injuries and their nature, and second deadliest riot in fatalities. Inmates took complete control of the prison and twelve officers were taken hostage. Several inmates were killed by other prisoners, with some being tortured and mutilated because they had previously acted as informants for... Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #7 2016 Ouagadougou attacks — 30 deaths
attack on the Cappuccino restaurant and the Splendid Hotel in Burkina Faso
On 15 January 2016, gunmen armed with heavy weapons attacked the Cappuccino restaurant and the Splendid Hotel in the heart of Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. At least 30 people were killed, and 56 wounded; a total of 176 hostages were released after a government counter-attack into the next morning as the siege ended. Three perpetrators were also killed. The nearby YIBI hotel was then under siege, where another attacker was killed. Notably, former Swiss MPs Jean-Noël Rey and Georgie... Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #8 Nakhon Ratchasima shootings — 30 deaths
2020 mass shooting by a soldier in Thailand
Between 8 and 9 February 2020, a mass shooting occurred near and in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, colloquially known as Korat. A sergeant major of the Royal Thai Army killed 29 people and wounded 58 others before he was eventually shot and killed. Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #9 2016 Gulshan, Dhaka attack — 28 deaths
terrorist attacks in Dhaka, Bangladesh
The July 2016 Dhaka attack or Holey Artisan terrorist attack took place on the night of 1 July 2016, at 21:20 Bangladesh Standard Time (UTC+06:00), when five Islamic State (IS) terrorists took hostages and opened fire on the Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan Thana jurisdiction in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The terrorists entered the bakery with crude bombs, machetes, and pistols, and took several dozen hostages, including foreign nationals. In the immediate response while Dhaka Metropolitan Police tried... Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #10 January 2015 Île-de-France attacks — 20 deaths
series of terrorist attacks
From 7 to 9 January 2015, terrorist attacks occurred across the Île-de-France region, particularly in Paris and most prominently at the offices of the magazine Charlie Hebdo. Three assailants killed a total of 17 people in 3 shooting attacks; the attackers were then killed by police. The attacks also wounded 22 others. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) claimed responsibility and said that the coordinated attacks had been planned for years. The claim of responsibility for the Charlie... Read more on Wikipedia.
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