Jump to content

List of hostage crises

From Deep Politics Wiki


Full article adapted from Wikipedia revision 1357134712 by Wikipedia contributors. Text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Formatting has been adapted; article text and references are retained. Snapshot imported 2026-09-25.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by editing the page to add missing items, with references to reliable sources.

This is a list of notable hostage crises by date.

<tbody> </tbody>
Incident Location(s) Start Duration Number of
hostages
Gaza war hostage crisis Israel Gaza envelope, Israel 7 October 2023 843 days 250+[1]
Nduga hostage crisis Indonesia Nduga Regency, Highland Papua, Indonesia 7 February 2023 592 days 9+[2]
Leidseplein hostage crisis Netherlands Leidseplein, Amsterdam, Netherlands 22 February 2022 5 hours 1[3]
Colleyville synagogue hostage crisis United States Colleyville, Texas, United States 15 January 2022 10 hours, 41 minutes 4[4]
2020 Lutsk hostage crisis Ukraine Lutsk, Volyn Oblast, Ukraine 21 July 2020 12 hours, 21 minutes 13[5]
2020 Greenhills hostage crisis Philippines San Juan, Metro Manila, Philippines 2 March 2020 9 hours 55[6]
Carcassonne and Trèbes attack France Trèbes, Aude, France 23 March 2018 3 hours, 40 minutes 2[7]
Siege of Marawi Philippines Marawi, Lanao del Sur, Philippines 23 May 2017 5 months 1,770+
2017 Hanoi hostage crisis Vietnam Hanoi, Vietnam 15 April 2017 10 days 38
2016 Yerevan hostage crisis Armenia Yerevan, Armenia 17 July 2016 15 days 9
July 2016 Dhaka attack Bangladesh Gulshan, Dhaka, Bangladesh 1 July 2016 11 hours, 10 minutes 35+[8]
Orlando nightclub shooting United States Orlando, Florida, United States 12 June 2016 3 hours, 12 minutes 320
Kunduz-Takhar highway hostage crisis Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Kunduz Province, Afghanistan 31 May 2016 Unclear end date 220+
2015 Bamako hotel attack Mali Bamako, Mali 20 November 2015 9 hours 170
November 2015 Paris attacks France Paris, France 13 November 2015 2 hours, 20 minutes 20[9]
Samal Island hostage crisis Philippines Samal, Davao del Norte, Philippines 22 September 2015 13 months 4[10]
Hypercacher kosher supermarket siege France Porte de Vincennes, Paris, France 9 January 2015 4 hours 30 minutes 19
2014 Peshawar school massacre Pakistan Army Public School Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan 15 December 2014 7 hours 1,099
Lindt Cafe siege Australia Martin Place, Sydney, Australia Approximately 17 hours 18[11]
2014 Stockton bank robbery United States Stockton, California and Lodi, California, United States 16 July 2014 Approximately 1 hour 3
2014 Moscow school shooting Russia Moscow, Russia 3 February 2014 Approximately 2 hours 29
Westgate shopping mall attack Kenya Nairobi, Kenya 21 September 2013 3 days
Zamboanga City crisis Philippines Zamboanga City, Philippines 9 September 2013 19 days
2013 Islamabad hostage crisis Pakistan Islamabad, Pakistan 15 August 2013 6 hours
2013 Hialeah shooting United States Hialeah, Florida 26 July 2013 Approximately 3 hours
2013 Alabama bunker hostage crisis United States Midland City, Alabama 29 January 2013 6 days
In Amenas hostage crisis Algeria In Amenas, Algeria 16 January 2013 3 days
2012 Bain murder-kidnappings United States Whiteville, Tennessee and Alpine, Mississippi, United States 27 April 2012 13 days
2011 Muar kindergarten hostage crisis Malaysia Muar, Johor, Malaysia 7 July 2011 6 hours 30
2011 Hectorville siege Australia Hectorville, South Australia, Australia 29 April 2011 8 hours
Panama City school board shootings United States Panama City, Florida, United States 14 December 2010 Unknown
2010 Baghdad church massacre Iraq Baghdad, Iraq 31 October 2010 About 4 hours
2010 Discovery headquarters hostage crisis United States Silver Spring, Maryland, United States 1 September 2010 About 5 hours
Manila hostage crisis Philippines Manila, Philippines 23 August 2010 10 hours 30 mins
2010 Ahmadiyya mosques massacre Pakistan Lahore, Pakistan 28 May 2010 Some hours
October 2009 Lahore attacks 15 October 2009 1 hour 30 mins
2009 Pakistan Army General Headquarters attack Pakistan Rawalpindi, Pakistan 10 October 2009 1 day
2009 Yemen hostage crisis Yemen Saada Governorate, Yemen 12 June 2009 11 months 9[12][13]
Binghamton shooting United States Binghamton, New York, United States 3 April 2009 1 day
2009 Lahore police academy attack Pakistan Lahore, Pakistan 30 March 2009 Some hours
Bangladesh Rifles revolt Bangladesh Pilkhana, Dhaka, Bangladesh 25 February 2009 2 days
2008 Mumbai attacks India Mumbai, Maharashtra, India 26 November 2008 3 days
Eloá Pimentel hostage crisis Brazil Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil 13 October 2008 4 days
Espírito Santo Bank of Campolide robbery Portugal Lisbon, Portugal 7 August 2008 8 hours
South Korean hostage crisis in Afghanistan Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ghazni Province, Afghanistan 19 July 2007 42 days
Siege of Lal Masjid Pakistan Islamabad, Pakistan 3 July 2007 9 days
Johnson Space Center shooting United States Houston, Texas, United States 20 April 2007 About 3 hours
West Nickel Mines School shooting United States Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States 2 October 2006 Some hours
Platte Canyon High School hostage crisis United States Bailey, Colorado, United States 27 September 2006 About 4 hours
Seattle Jewish Federation shooting United States Seattle, Washington, United States 28 July 2006 Approximately 15 minutes
Chrobog family kidnapping Yemen Yemen 28 December 2005 3 days
2005 raid on Nalchik Russia Nalchik, Russia 13 October 2005 Some hours
Ennepetal hostage taking Germany Ennepetal, Germany 12 April 2005 About 6 hours
Beslan school siege Russia Beslan, Russia 1 September 2004 3 days
2004 Khobar massacre Saudi Arabia Khobar, Saudi Arabia 29 May 2004 25 hours
2003 Sahara hostage crisis Algeria Algeria 22 January 2003 208 days
Moscow theater hostage crisis Russia Moscow, Russia 23 October 2002 2½ days
Akshardham Temple attack India Gandhinagar, India 24 September 2002 2 days
Dos Palmas kidnappings Philippines Palawan, Philippines 27 May 2001 Varied periods
Operation Barras Sierra Leone Sierra Leone 10 October 2000 17 days
Bus 174 hostage crisis Brazil Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 12 June 2000 Some hours
Sauk Siege Malaysia Kuala Kangsar, Perak, Malaysia 5 June 2000 3 days
Wasserbillig crèche hostage crisis Luxembourg Wasserbillig, Luxembourg 31 May 2000 28 hours 52 [14]
2000 Fijian coup d'état Fiji Suva, Fiji 19 May 2000 56 days
Nishi-Tetsu bus hijacking JapanFukuoka, Yamaguchi, and Hiroshima Prefectures, Japan 3–4 May 2000 15 hours 21
2000 Sipadan kidnappings Malaysia Sipadan, Malaysia, Philippines Jolo, Philippines 23 April 2000 Varied periods
Joseph Palczynski standoff United States Dundalk, Maryland, United States 17 March 2000 4 days
Indian Airlines Flight 814 India Amritsar, India, United Arab Emirates Dubai, UAE, Pakistan Lahore, Pakistan, Afghanistan Kandahar, Afghanistan 24 December 1999 8 days 190
1998 Cúa hostage crisis Venezuela Cúa, Venezuela 5 April 1998 7 hours
Japanese embassy hostage crisis Peru Lima, Peru 17 December 1996 126 days
Terrazas del Ávila hostage crisis [es] Venezuela Caracas, Venezuela 15 April 1996 20 hours
1996 Honolulu hostage crisis United States Honolulu, Hawaii, United States 6 February 1996 7 hours
Black Sea hostage crisis Turkey Trabzon, Turkey, Russia Sochi, Russia 16 January 1996 4 days
Kizlyar–Pervomayskoye hostage crisis Russia Kizlyar and Pervomayskoye, Russia 9 January 1996 9 days
Cologne hostage crisis Germany Cologne, Germany 28 July 1995 7 hours 24[15]
1995 kidnapping of western tourists in Kashmir India Pahalgam, India 4 July 1995 Unknown
San Román Tragedy [es] Venezuela Caracas, Venezuela 23 June 1995 6 hours
Budyonnovsk hospital hostage crisis Russia Budyonnovsk, Russia 14 June 1995 5 days
1995 Salvadoran legislature hostage crisis El Salvador San Salvador, El Salvador 24 January 1995 2 days ~2,500
Air France Flight 8969 Algeria Algiers, Algeria, France Marseille, France 24 December 1994 3 days 232
1994 kidnappings of western tourists in India India New Delhi, India 20 October 1994 12 days 4
1994 Salvadoran legislature hostage crisis El Salvador San Salvador, El Salvador 26 September 1994 2 days ~200
Torp hostage crisis Norway Larvik and Sandefjord, Norway 28 August 1994 2 days
Gresham cat hostage taking incident United States Gresham, Oregon, United States 21 August 1994 Unknown 1 cat
Salt Lake City Public Library hostage incident United States Salt Lake City, Utah, United States 7 March 1994 6 hours
1993 Jolimont Centre siege Australia Canberra, Australia 29 November 1993 2 hours
Neuilly kindergarten hostage crisis France Neuilly-sur-Seine, France 13 May 1993 2 days 22
Supreme Court of Justice hostage crisis Costa Rica San José, Costa Rica 26 April 1993 4 days
1993 Cangai siege Australia Cangai, New South Wales, Australia 30 March 1993 26 hours
East Carter High School shooting United States Grayson, Kentucky, United States 18 January 1993 16 minutes
Lindhurst High School shooting United States Olivehurst, California, United States 1 May 1992 8 hours
Alta View Hospital hostage incident United States Sandy, Utah, United States 20 September 1991 18 hours
1991 Sacramento hostage crisis United States Sacramento, California, United States 4 April 1991 About 8 hours 41[16]
Singapore Airlines Flight 117 Singapore Singapore 26 March 1991 12 hours 125
Henry's Pub hostage incident United States Berkeley, California, United States 28 September 1990 7 hours 33
1990 Hotel Delfino siege Philippines Tuguegarao, Cagayan, Philippines 4 March 1990 Unknown
1989 Davao hostage crisis Philippines Davao City, Philippines 13 August 1989 3 days
Camp Cawa-Cawa siege Philippines Zamboanga City, Philippines 5 January 1989 12 hours
Loveland River House incident United States Loveland, Colorado, United States 3 January 1989 2 hours
Papal visit hostage crisis Lesotho Maseru, Lesotho 13 September 1988 1 day
Gladbeck hostage crisis West Germany Gladbeck, Bremen, Sottrum, and Cologne, West Germany, Netherlands Oldenzaal, Netherlands 16 August 1988 3 days 29[17]
Ouvéa cave hostage taking France Ouvéa, New Caledonia 22 April 1988 14 days
Kuwait Airways Flight 422 Iran Mashhad, Iran, Cyprus Larnaca, Cyprus, Algeria Algiers, Algeria 5 April 1988 15 days 110
Pudu prison siege Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 17 October 1986 6 days
Pan Am Flight 73 Pakistan Karachi, Pakistan 5 September 1986 1 day 379
Mikkeli hostage crisis Finland Helsinki and Mikkeli, Finland 8 August 1986 14 hours 10 mins
Oulu plane hijacking 1986 Finland Oulu, Finland 20 May 1986 2 hours 45 mins
Cokeville Elementary School hostage crisis United States Cokeville, Wyoming, United States 16 May 1986 2½ hours
EgyptAir Flight 648 Malta Luqa, Malta 23 November 1985 2 days 98
Palace of Justice siege Colombia Bogotá, Colombia 6 November 1985
Achille Lauro hijacking Egypt Alexandria and Port Said, Egypt 7 October 1985 2 days 97+
Trans World Airlines Flight 847 Lebanon Beirut, Lebanon, Algeria Algiers, Algeria 14 June 1985 16 days 155
Bus 300 affair Israel Tel Aviv and Ashkelon, Israel 12 April 1984 2 days
1984 Libyan hostage incident Libya Tripoli, Libya 17 April 1984 9 months
1984 Sydney bank robbery Australia Sydney, Australia 31 January 1984 6 hours
Abduction of western tourists in Matabeleland Zimbabwe Lupane, Zimbabwe 23 July 1982 Unknown
Lebanon hostage crisis Lebanon Beirut, Lebanon 19 July 1982 Varied periods
Garuda Indonesian Airways Flight 206 Thailand Bangkok, Thailand 28 March 1981 3 days 53
Iranian Embassy siege United Kingdom London, United Kingdom 30 April 1980 6 days
Dominican embassy siege Colombia Bogotá, Colombia 27 February 1980 61 days
Grand Mosque seizure Saudi Arabia Mecca, Saudi Arabia 20 November 1979 14 days 50,000+
Iran hostage crisis Iran Tehran, Iran 4 November 1979 444 days 53
Mitsubishi Bank hostage incident Japan Osaka, Japan 26 January 1979 2 days
Finnair Flight 405 Finland Helsinki, Finland 30 September 1978 19 hours
1978 Assen province hall hostage crisis Netherlands Assen, Netherlands 13 March 1978 1 day 71[18]
Cyprus Airways hijacking Cyprus Larnaca, Cyprus 19 February 1978
Lufthansa Flight 181 Cyprus Larnaca, Cyprus, United Arab Emirates Dubai, UAE, South Yemen Aden, South Yemen, Somalia Mogadishu, Somalia 13 October 1977 5 days
Japan Air Lines Flight 472 Bangladesh Dhaka, Bangladesh, Kuwait Kuwait City, Kuwait, Syria Damascus, Syria 28 September 1977
1977 De Punt train hijacking Netherlands De Punt, Netherlands 23 May 1977 20 days 54[19]
1977 Bovensmilde school hostage crisis Netherlands Bovensmilde, Netherlands 4 days 110[20]
1977 Hanafi siege United States Washington, D.C., United States 9 March 1977 39 hours
TWA Flight 355 Canada Montreal and Gander, Canada, Iceland Keflavík, Iceland, France Paris, France 10 September 1976 2 days
Operation Entebbe Libya Benghazi, Libya, Uganda Entebbe, Uganda 27 June 1976 8 days 258
Balcombe Street siege United Kingdom London, United Kingdom 6 December 1975 5 days
OPEC siege Austria Vienna, Austria, Algeria Algiers, Algeria, Libya Tripoli, Libya 21 December 1975 3 days
1975 Indonesian consulate hostage crisis Netherlands Amsterdam, Netherlands 4 December 1975 15 days 42[21]
Wijster kidnapping Netherlands Wijster, Netherlands 2 December 1975 12 days 75[22]
Philippine Airlines Flight 111 Philippines Manila, Philippines 6 October 1975 1 hour
Spaghetti House siege United Kingdom London, United Kingdom 28 September 1975 6 days 6[23]
1975 AIA building hostage crisis Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 5 August 1975 5 days
Israeli consulate hostage crisis[24] South Africa Johannesburg, South Africa 29 April 1975 19 hours
West German Embassy siege in Stockholm Sweden Stockholm, Sweden 24 April 1975 12 hours
1974 French Embassy attack in The Hague Netherlands The Hague, Netherlands 13 September 1974 4 days 11[25]
1974 Huntsville Prison siege United States Huntsville, Texas, United States 24 July 1974 11 days
Ma'alot massacre Israel Ma'alot, Israel 15 May 1974 2 days
Claustre Affair Chad Bardaï, Chad 20 April 1974 1018 days 4[26][27]
Laju incident Singapore Singapore 31 January 1974 8 days
Norrmalmstorg robbery Sweden Stockholm, Sweden 23 August 1973 5 days
Roman Catholic mission hostage crisis Rhodesia Centenary, Rhodesia 5 July 1973 Unknown
1973 CIBC bank robbery Canada Kenora, Ontario, Canada 10 May 1973
Attack on the Saudi Embassy in Khartoum Sudan Khartoum, Sudan 1 March 1973 2½ days
1973 Brooklyn hostage crisis United States New York City, New York, United States 19 January 1973 3 days
Balassagyarmat hostage crisis [hu] Hungary Balassagyarmat, Hungary 7 January 1973 6 days
Lufthansa Flight 615 Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Zagreb, Yugoslavia 29 October 1972 15 hours
Munich massacre Germany Munich, West Germany 5 September 1972 21 hours
Lod Airport massacre Israel Lod, Israel 30 May 1972 24 minutes
Sabena Flight 572 8 May 1972 1 day
Lufthansa Flight 649 South Yemen Aden, South Yemen 22 February 1972 2 days
Asama-Sansō incident Japan Karuizawa, Japan 19 February 1972 9 days
Northwest Orient Flight 305 United States Washington and Oregon, United States 24 November 1971 4 hours
October Crisis Canada Quebec, Canada 5 October 1970 60 days
Dawson's Field hijackings Jordan Zarka, Jordan 6 September 1970 8 days
Marin County Civic Center attacks United States San Rafael, California, United States 7 August 1970 2 hours
Operation Dragon Rouge Democratic Republic of the Congo Stanleyville, Congo-Léopoldville 24 November 1964 20–30 days
Aerolíneas Argentinas Flight 648 hijacking Falkland Islands Stanley, Falkland Islands 28 September 1966 2 days
Siege of Sidney Street United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland London, United Kingdom 2 January 1911
Battle of Ballingarry United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Ballingarry, Ireland, United Kingdom 29 July 1848 1 day
Froberg mutiny Malta Fort Ricasoli, Malta 4 April 1807 6 days

See also

References

  1. ^ "Hostages Held by Hamas: The Names of Those Abducted From Israel". Haaretz. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
  2. ^ "Six soldiers killed, 30 missing in attempt to rescue kidnapped pilot in West Papua". The Guardian. Associated Press. 2023-04-16. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
  3. ^ "Amsterdam Apple store gunman dies of injuries". The Guardian. 2022-02-22.
  4. ^ "Standoff at Texas synagogue ends with all hostages safe, suspect dead". ABC News. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
  5. ^ "У Луцьку звільнили 13 заручників". konkurent.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2023-12-07.
  6. ^ "Negotiator in Greenhills incident redeems himself with successful conclusion to hostage drama". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
  7. ^ Le Devin, Willy (22 July 2018). "Attentat de Trèbes: "Plus Beltrame avançait, plus je sentais Lakdim trembler"". Libération (in French). Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  8. ^ "Holey Artisan cafe: Bangladesh Islamists sentenced to death for 2016 attack". 2019-11-27. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
  9. ^ Cruickshank, Paul (2016-03-30). "Inside the Paris and Brussels terror attacks". CNN. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
  10. ^ Mogato, Manuel (22 September 2015). "Gunmen abduct three foreign tourists from southern Philippines resort". Reuters. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  11. ^ "Sydney siege: Police should have stormed cafe sooner, coroner rules". BBC News. 2017-05-24. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
  12. ^ Brandt, Marieke (2024). Tribes and Politics in Yemen: A History of the Houthi Conflict. London: Hurst. pp. 289–293. ISBN 9781911723424.
  13. ^ Jamjoom, Mohammed (13 August 2009). "Yemen lays out truce terms to rebel fighters". CNN. Archived from the original on 16 August 2009. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  14. ^ https://today.rtl.lu/news/luxembourg/a/1527804.html
  15. ^ Hengesbach, Susanne (2025-07-26). "„Rettung das größte Geschenk": Bus-Entführung in Köln vor 30 Jahren – Sieben Stunden Todesangst". Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger (in German).
  16. ^ Daniels, Joseph (4 April 2022). "A history behind the 1991 Sacramento Good Guys hostage situation". ABC 10. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  17. ^ "Gladbecker Geiselnahme: Geblieben sind Schmerz und Trauer". Aachener Zeitung. 16 August 2018.
  18. ^ van Gool, Roy (2018-03-13). "'Dat is je missie en die voer je uit'". RTV Drenthe (in Dutch).
  19. ^ "Wat gebeurde er tijdens de Molukse treinkaping bij De Punt?". NPO Kennis (in Dutch). 4 November 2024.
  20. ^ "Na 48 jaar kampen slachtoffers gijzeling school Bovensmilde nog met klachten". NOS (in Dutch). 2025-09-22.
  21. ^ "Gijzeling op het Indonesische consulaat, 4 december 1975". Ons Amsterdam (in Dutch).
  22. ^ Rasser, Martijn (November 2005). "The Dutch Response to Moluccan Terrorism, 1970–1978". Studies in Conflict & Terrorism. 28 (6): 481–492. doi:10.1080/10576100591008953. ISSN 1057-610X.
  23. ^ Express, Daily (2023-10-01). "October 1st - On this day: 48 years since spaghetti house six day siege". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
  24. ^ "Johannesburg Siege Ends; Police Hold Israeli Agent". www.nytimes.com. 1975-04-29. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  25. ^ "Gijzeling Franse ambassade". Andere Tijden (in Dutch). 16 September 2003.
  26. ^ Powell, Nathaniel K. (2022). France's Wars in Chad: Military Intervention and Decolonization in Africa. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 114–120. ISBN 9781108738620.
  27. ^ Buijtenhuis, Robert (1985). "La mort du commandant Galopin : une mise au point". Politique africaine. 20 (1): 91–95. doi:10.3406/polaf.1985.4027. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
Retrieved from "https://deeppolitics.org/index.php?title=List_of_hostage_crises&oldid=92460"