Investigation of Soft Target Attacks of ISIS Terrorist Organization

30.06.2025 | Pınar Begüm KONCAGÜL

Terrorism is a term that refers to acts of violence used to create fear and terror for political, religious, or ideological purposes. In recent years, with the global rise of terrorism, attacks have increasingly targeted unprotected places where people gather. In this context, the first section of this study examines the reasons why terrorist organizations carry out attacks in urban areas and the conceptual framework of urban attack strategies. This strategy has been effective among groups waging guerrilla warfare in Latin America. The second section discusses the concept of soft targets. Soft targets are typically locations with low security measures, where civilians gather in large numbers and are more vulnerable to attacks. ISIS has specifically attacked such targets to achieve its ideological goals and increase its propaganda effect. The final section provides the historical background of the ISIS terrorist organization and analyzes its soft target attacks in Türkiye between 2014 and 2020 through an examination based on the Global Terrorism Database (GTD). The study employs qualitative research methods, specifically document analysis. The primary objective of the research is to evaluate ISIS's soft target attacks both theoretically and through case studies, contributing to the development of strategies to prevent such attacks.

Koncagül, P.B. (2025). Investigation of Soft Target Attacks of ISIS Terrorist Organization. Journal of Terrorism and Radicalization Studies, 4(2), pp. 165-185. DOI: 10.61314/traddergi.1622651