As of 2026-10-12, Jindandao Incident tops the list with 150,000 deaths.
- #1 Jindandao Incident — 150,000 deaths
1891 rebellion in China
The Jindandao incident was a rebellion by a Han Chinese secret society called Jindandao, who rose in revolt in Inner Mongolia in November 1891 and genocidally massacred 150,000–500,000 Mongols before being suppressed by government troops in late December. The revolt devastated Mongol communities in the southeastern borderland and forced many Mongols to take refuge in northern banners. This massacre was later dubbed an incident by Chinese officials. Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #2 Jeju Uprising — 30,000 deaths
1948–49 uprising in Jeju Island, South Korea
The Jeju uprising was an uprising on Jeju Island, South Korea, from April 1948 to May 1949. Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #3 Khost rebellion of 1924–1925 — 14,000 deaths
military uprising against the Afghan monarch
The Khost rebellion, also known as the 1924 Mangal uprising, the Khost revolt or the Mangal Revolt was an uprising against the Westernization and modernizing reforms of Afghanistan’s king, Amanullah Khan. The uprising was launched in Southern Province, Afghanistan, and lasted from March 1924 to 1925. It was fought by the Mangal Pashtun tribe, later joined by the Sulaiman Khel, Ali Khel, Jaji, Jadran and Ahmadzai tribes. After causing the death of over 14,000 Afghans, the revolt was finally... Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #4 Dersim massacre — 13,160 deaths
Kurdish and Zaza uprising against the Turkish government in Dersim, eastern Turkey
The Dersim massacre, also known as the Dersim genocide, was carried out by the Turkish military over the course of three operations in the Dersim Province against Kurdish rebels of Alevi faith, and civilians in 1937 and 1938. Although most Kurds in Dersim remained in their home villages, thousands were killed and many others were expelled to other parts of Turkey. Twenty tons of "Chloracetophenon, Iperit and so on" were ordered and used in the massacre. According to Turkish Army general Osman... Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #5 Islamic rebellion in Xinjiang (1937) — 2,800 deaths
part of the Xinjiang Wars
In 1937, 1,500 Uyghur Muslim rebels under the command of Kichik Akhund rebelled in southern Xinjiang against the pro-Soviet forces of Sheng Shicai. The rebels were tacitly aided by the New 36th Division of the Chinese National Revolutionary Army. Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #6 Aden Emergency — 2,096 deaths
Armed rebellion against British colonial rule in Yemen
The Aden Emergency, also known as the 14 October Revolution or the Aden Insurgency, was an armed rebellion led mainly by the National Liberation Front (NLF) and the Front for the Liberation of Occupied South Yemen (FLOSY) against the British Protectorate and Federation of South Arabia. It began on 14 October 1963 when tribes from Radfan attacked British troops and ended with the proclamation of independence of the People's Republic of Southern Yemen. Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #7 2011 Yemeni revolution — 2,000 deaths
Yemeni upheaval occurring simultaneously with the Arab Spring (2011)
The Yemeni revolution, also known as the Yemeni intifada, was a series of major anti-government protests and armed uprisings that raged through Yemen from January 2011 to February 2012. It occurred concurrently with the Arab Spring that broke out throughout the Middle East and North Africa in 2011. In its early phase, protests in Yemen were initially against unemployment, economic conditions, corruption, and the authoritarian regime led by President Ali Abdullah Saleh as well as against the... Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #8 Salt Riot — 1,850 deaths
food riot in June 1648 in Moscow, Russia
The Moscow uprising of 1648, sometimes known as the salt riot, started because of the government's replacement of different taxes with a universal salt tax for the purpose of replenishing the state treasury after the Time of Troubles. This drove up the price of salt, leading to violent riots in the streets of Moscow. The riot was an early challenge to the reign of Alexei I, eventually resulting in the exile of Alexei's advisor Boris Morozov. Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #9 Gwangju Uprising — 606 deaths
1980 anti-government uprising in South Korea
The Gwangju Uprising, also known in South Korea as the May 18 Democratization Movement, was a series of student-led demonstrations that took place in Gwangju, South Korea, in May 1980, against the coup d'état of May Seventeenth by Chun Doo-hwan that strengthened his power. Chun had previously taken power and become military dictator through the coup d'état of December Twelfth at the end of 1979. He implemented martial law, arrested opposition leaders, closed all universities, banned political... Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #10 Mahsa Amini protests — 522 deaths
Iranian protest movement in 2022–2023
Civil unrest and protests against the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran associated with the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini began on 16 September 2022 and carried on into 2023, but by spring 2023, the protests had largely subsided, ultimately leaving the political leadership unchanged and firmly entrenched in power. The protests were described as "unlike any the country had seen before", the "biggest challenge" to the government, and "most widespread revolt" since the Islamic... Read more on Wikipedia.
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