List of assassinations in Asia

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Main article: List of assassinations

This is a list of assassinations which took place on the continent of Asia.

For the purposes of this article, an assassination is defined as the deliberate, premeditated murder of a prominent figure, often for religious or political reasons.

Afghanistan[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
February 20, 1919 Habibullah Khan, emir of Afghanistan
November 8, 1933 Mohammed Nadir Shah, king of Afghanistan[1] Abdul Khaliq Hazara
April 17, 1978 Mir Akbar Khyber, leftist intellectual and leader in the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan His assassination became a catalyst for the Saur Revolution
April 28, 1978 Mohammed Daoud Khan, President of Afghanistan Killed in the Saur Revolution
February 14, 1979 Adolph Dubs, United States Ambassador to Afghanistan[2] Abducted and killed by an undetermined group
September 14, 1979 Nur Mohammad Taraki, President of Afghanistan Said to have been smothered to death with a pillow on the orders of Hafizullah Amin
December 27, 1979 Hafizullah Amin, Prime Minister of Afghanistan Killed by Soviet forces in the early stages of the Soviet–Afghan War
February 4, 1987 Meena Keshwar Kamal, Afghan founder of the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan
March 20, 1995 Abdul Ali Mazari, warlord and leader of the Hazara community Killed by the Taliban during the fall of Kabul
September 27, 1996 Mohammed Najibullah, former President of Afghanistan Killed along with his brother by the Taliban during the capture of Kabul
September 9, 2001 Ahmed Shah Massoud, leader of the Afghan Northern Alliance Al Qaeda suicide bombers working for the Taliban posing as journalists Killed by a bomb hidden in a camera 2 days before the 9/11 attacks.
October 26, 2001 Abdul Haq, Afghan Northern Alliance commander Killed by remnants of the Taliban
November 2001 Mohammed Atef, alleged military chief of al-Qaeda Killed in a U.S. drone strike
November 2001 Juma Namangani, co-founder of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan
July 6, 2002 Abdul Qadir, Vice President of Afghanistan[2]
February 14, 2002 Abdul Rahman, Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism[2]
May 12, 2007 Dadullah, Taliban senior military commander
May 3, 2007 Abdul Sabur Farid Kuhestani, former Prime Minister of Afghanistan
August 27, 2009 Tohir Yo'ldosh, co-founder of Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan Killed in a U.S. drone strike
July 17, 2011 Jan Mohammad Khan, former governor of Uruzgan Killed by the Taliban
September 20, 2011 Burhanuddin Rabbani, former President of Afghanistan Killed in a suicide bombing by the Taliban or the Haqqani network while leading peace negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban
July 12, 2011 Ahmed Wali Karzai, half-brother of President Hamid Karzai Sardar Mohammad Shot twice in the head and chest by his security guard as he was coming out of his bathroom
June 5, 2016 Shir Wali Wardak, Member of the National Assembly and member of the parliamentary economic committee.[3] Islamic State and maybe the Taliban.[4] Killed by a hidden bomb, along with 11 other people, including bodyguards.[5]
October 18, 2018 Abdul Raziq Achakzai, Lieutenant General of the Afghan Border Force
July 31, 2022 Ayman al-Zawahiri, leader of Al-Qaeda Killed by a U.S. drone strike in Kabul. See Killing of Ayman al-Zawahiri
August 11, 2022 Rahimullah Haqqani, Islamic cleric Killed in a suicide bombing in Kabul
September 2, 2022 Mujib Rahman Ansari, Islamic cleric Killed in a suicide bombing in Herat
January 15, 2023 Mursal Nabizada, female former MP and Taliban critic
June 6, 2023 Nisar Ahmad Ahmadi, Governor of Badakhshan Province

Armenia[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
April 14, 1992 Artur Mkrtchyan, Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
April 15, 1994 Vardges Petrosyan, novelist and playwright
December 17, 1994 Hambardzum Galstyan, former Mayor of Yerevan and member of the Karabakh Committee
October 27, 1999 Vazgen Sargsyan, Prime Minister of Armenia, Karen Demirchyan, President of the National Assembly of Armenia and 6 other politicians[2] Nairi Hunanyan Were shot dead in an attack on the Armenian National Assembly by a group of armed men who claimed to be staging a coup d'état. According to the attackers, Sargsyan was their only target, and the seven other deaths had been unintentional.[6]
April 2, 2013 Hrach Muradian, Mayor of Proshyan

Azerbaijan[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
September 26, 1907 Khanlar Safaraliyev, labor organizer and Social Democrat
April 1993 Eduard Huseynov, counter admiral Assassinated near his home in Baku.[7]
September 29, 1994 Afiyaddin Jalilov, deputy speaker of the National Assembly Assassinated near his home in Baku[7]
September 29, 1994 Shamsi Rahimov, intelligence and national security chief Assassinated near his home in Baku[7]
March 17, 1995 Rovshan Javadov, the chief of the Special Purpose Police Detachment of Azerbaijan Killed in the 1995 Azeri coup d'état attempt
May 28, 1996 Ali Ansukhski, member of the National Assembly Mahir Ahmadov Assassinated near his home in Baku[7]
February 21, 1997 Ziya Bunyadov, historian Unknown, presumed to be Hezbollah Assassinated near his home in Baku[7]
March 13, 2002 Rovshan Aliyev, criminalist Haji Mammadov
June 14, 2004 Fatulla Huseynov, colonel and vice president of the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan Haji Mammadov Assassinated near his home in Baku[7]
March 25, 2005 Elmar Huseynov, journalist Unknown, believed to be figures within the government of Azerbaijan Shot at his home in Baku.[8]
February 11, 2009 Rail Rzayev, commander of the Azerbaijani Air Force Assassinated near his home in Baku.[9]

Bangladesh[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
August 15, 1975 Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, independence leader and first President of Bangladesh[2] Killed along with several members of his family in a coup planned by disgruntled Awami League colleagues and military officers led by Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad. See Assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
November 3, 1975 Muhammad Mansur Ali, Prime Minister of Bangladesh Killed by military officers in Dhaka Central Jail in the aftermath of the 15 August 1975 Bangladesh coup d'état
November 3, 1975 Tajuddin Ahmad, former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Killed by military officers in Dhaka Central Jail in the aftermath of the 15 August 1975 Bangladesh coup d'état
November 3, 1975 Syed Nazrul Islam, former President of Bangladesh Killed by military officers in Dhaka Central Jail in the aftermath of the 15 August 1975 Bangladesh coup d'état
November 3, 1975 Abul Hasnat Muhammad Qamaruzzaman, Minister of Industries Killed by military officers in Dhaka Central Jail in the aftermath of the 15 August 1975 Bangladesh coup d'état
November 7, 1975 Khaled Mosharraf, Chief of Army Staff Killed during the 7 November 1975 Bangladesh coup d'état shortly after seizing power in the 3 November 1975 Bangladesh coup d'état
May 30, 1981 Ziaur Rahman, President of Bangladesh Group of Bangladesh Army officers Killed in a coup d'état led by General Abul Monjur. See Assassination of Ziaur Rahman
January 27, 2005 Shah A M S Kibria, former Finance Minister Killed in a grenade attack in his constituency of Habiganj, Sylhet

Bhutan[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
April 6, 1964 Jigme Palden Dorji, Prime Minister of Bhutan[10] A Royal Bhutan Army corporal Bahadur Namgyal, head of the Royal Bhutan Army, was later executed for the plot

Cambodia[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
January 14, 1950 Ieu Koeus, briefly Prime Minister of Cambodia in 1949
April 17, 1975 Long Boret, Prime Minister of the Khmer Republic Killed by the Khmer Rouge shortly after the fall of Phnom Penh
April 17, 1975 Sisowath Sirik Matak, former Prime Minister of the Khmer Republic and member of the House of Sisowath branch of the Monarchy of Cambodia Killed by the Khmer Rouge shortly after the fall of Phnom Penh
April 17, 1975 Lon Non, military officer, politician and brother of President Lon Nol Killed by the Khmer Rouge shortly after the fall of Phnom Penh
April 18, 1975 Hang Thun Hak, former Prime Minister of the Khmer Republic Killed by the Khmer Rouge shortly after the fall of Phnom Penh
June 15, 1997 Son Sen, former Defence Minister of Democratic Kampuchea
Yun Yat, former Information Minister of Democratic Kampuchea 		Killed during infighting within the Khmer Rouge

China[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
238 BC Lord Chunshen, prime minister of the Kingdom of Chu Li Yuan
192 Dong Zhuo, warlord and de facto ruler of China Lü Bu, Li Su, Wang Yun Killed in Chang'an
221 Zhang Fei, military general of Shu Han Fan Qiang, Zhang Da
11 April, 618 Emperor Yang of Sui, second Emperor of the Sui dynasty. Yuwenji
July 13, 815 Wu Yuanheng, Chancellor to Emperor Xianzong
1207 Han Tuozhou, Chancellor to Emperor Ningzong of the Southern Song Dynasty Shi Miyuan (disputed)
April 10, 1282 Ahmad Fanakati, Finance minister to Kublai Khan of the Yuan Dynasty Wang Zhu and Gao Heshang Killed in Khanbaliq
September 4, 1323 Sidibala, grand-khan of the Mongol Empire, Emperor of the Yuan Dynasty
August 22, 1849 João Maria Ferreira do Amaral, Portuguese Governor of Macau
August 22, 1870 Ma Xinyi, Viceroy of Liangjiang Zhang Wenxiang
March 28, 1894 Kim Ok-gyun, Korean reformist and pro-Western activist Hong Jong-u Killed aboard ship en route to Shanghai
October 26, 1909 Ito Hirobumi, Japanese Resident-General of Korea and former Prime Minister of Japan An Jung-geun Killed in Manchuria
March 22, 1913 Song Jiaoren, Prime Minister-elect of the Republic of China Killed in Shanghai
May 18, 1916 Chen Qimei, revolutionary activist Killed on the orders of Yuan Shikai, probably by Yuan's general Zhang Zongchang
August 20, 1925 Liao Zhongkai, member of the Executive Committee Kuomintang party
June 4, 1928 Zhang Zuolin, Manchurian warlord Killed by a bomb planted by officers of the Japanese Guandong Army. See Huanggutun incident
December 1941 Fang Zhenwu, military officer Assassinated by Kuomintang agents
July 15, 1946 Wen Yiduo, poet and scholar Tang Shiliang, Li Wenshan
January 22, 2003 Li Haicang [zh], chairman of Jianlong Steel Feng Yinliang

Georgia[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
June 19, 1920 Fatali Khan Khoyski, former Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan Aram Yerganian Killed by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation as part of Operation Nemesis
July 21, 1922 Cemal Pasha, former Ottoman Navy Minister Killed by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation as part of Operation Nemesis
December 3, 1994 Giorgi Chanturia, opposition leader Shot along with his wife by four gunmen in their car
May 20, 2007 Guram Sharadze, historian and nationalist politician Assassinated in Tbilisi

India[edit]

See also: List of assassinated Indian politicians, List of assassination attempts on prime ministers of India, and Category:Assassinations in India
Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
185 BC Brihadratha Maurya, last ruler of the Mauryan dynasty Pushyamitra Shunga
August 12, 1602 Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak, vizier of the Mughal emperor Akbar Vir Singh Deo Killed in a plot orchestrated by Prince Salim, because Abu'l-Fazl opposed Salim's accession to the throne
August 12, 1602 Chakdor Namgyal, Chogyal of Sikkim A doctor hired by Pende Ongmu Killed in an attempted usurpation by Chakdor's half-sister Pende Ongmu
February 8, 1872 Earl of Mayo (Richard Bourke), Viceroy of India Sher Ali Afridi Stabbed while inspecting prisons in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
January 30, 1948 Mahatma Gandhi, independence leader and key proponent of non-violence Nathuram Godse See Assassination of Mahatma Gandhi
February 6, 1965 Partap Singh Kairon, Chief Minister of Punjab Sucha Bassi, Baldev Singh and Nahar Singh 'Fauji' See Partap Singh Kairon
January 3, 1975 Lalit Narayan Mishra, Union Minister for Railways Santoshanand, Sudevanand and Gopalji, Ranjan Dwivedi See Lalit Narayan Mishra
October 31, 1984 Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India Satwant Singh and Beant Singh Shot by Sikh bodyguards in retaliation for Operation Blue Star. See Assassination of Indira Gandhi.
August 10, 1986 Arun Shridhar Vaidya, Chief of the Army Staff and Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee of the Indian Armed Forces Sukhdev Singh Sukha and Harjinder Singh Jinda
March 8, 1988 Amar Singh Chamkila, controversial Punjabi singer/songwriter
May 21, 1991 Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India Thenmuli Rajaratnam Killed in an explosion triggered by a LTTE suicide bomber. First politician to be killed by a suicide bomber. See Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi.
March 19,1994 Thakur Ji Pathak, former National General Secretary of the Janata Dal Criminal gangs Shot dead while he was going to court by some antisocial youths.
August 31, 1995 Beant Singh, chief minister of Punjab Dilawar Singh Babbar
July 25, 2001 Phoolan Devi, bandit queen turned Member of the Lok Sabha Sher Singh Rana
May 21, 2002 Abdul Ghani Lone, moderate Kashmiri Muslim separatist leader
April 22, 2006 Pramod Mahajan, former Minister of Defence, Parliamentary Affairs and Communications and Information Technology Pravin Mahajan, his brother
May 29, 2022 Sidhu Moosewala, Punjabi singer/songwriter turned politician Shot dead while he was travelling in his Mahindra Thar
January 9, 2023 Naba Das, Odisha State Minister of Health and Family Welfare
April 15, 2023 Atique Ahmed, former Member of the Lok Sabha Shot dead along with his brother on live television

Indonesia[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
October 1, 1965 Achmad Yani, Lieutenant General and Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army Killed as part of the 30 September Movement
October 1, 1965 Soeprapto, Major General and Second Deputy Commander of the Indonesian Army Killed as part of the 30 September Movement
October 1, 1965 M. T. Haryono, Major General and Third Deputy Commander of the Indonesian Army Killed as part of the 30 September Movement
October 1, 1965 Siswondo Parman, Major General Killed as part of the 30 September Movement
October 1, 1965 Donald Izacus Panjaitan, Brigadier General Killed as part of the 30 September Movement
October 1, 1965 Sutoyo Siswomiharjo, Brigadier General and Judge Advocate General of the Army Killed as part of the 30 September Movement
November 22, 1965 Dipa Nusantara Aidit, leader of the Communist Party of Indonesia Killed during the Indonesian mass killings of 1965–66
September 7, 2004 Munir Said Thalib, human rights and anti-corruption activist Pollycarpus Priyanto Poisoned with arsenic while flying on a Garuda Indonesia flight from Jakarta to Amsterdam

Iran[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
465 BC Xerxes I, Persian king Artabanus, commander of the royal bodyguard
423 BC Xerxes II, Persian king Sogdianus, Xerxes' half-brother
423 BC Sogdianus, Persian king Darius II, Sogdianus' half-brother
August 23, 818 Ali al-Ridha, eighth Imam of Shi'ite Islam Ali al-Rida died in Tus (present-day Mashhad) on the last day of Safar 203 (September 818), possibly poisoned[11][12] or due to Foodborne illness.
October 14, 1092 Nizam al-Mulk, scholar and vizier of the Seljuk Sultanate Assassins
29 August, 1135 Al-Mustarshid, Abbasid caliph of Baghdad Assassins Al-Mustarshid was in the caliphal tent, he was found murdered while reading the Quran, as is supposed, by an emissary of the Shia Assassins.
June 6, 1138 Al-Rashid Billah, thirtieth Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad Nizari Ismaili Shia Assassins Al-Rashid went to Isfahan where he was assassinated by a team of four Assassins. This was celebrated in Alamut for a week.[13]
June 20, 1747 Nader Shah, Shah of Persia Army officers led by Salah Bey, captain of the guards Nadar was attacked in his sleep, but was able to kill two of the assassins before dying.
February 11, 1829 Alexander Griboyedov, Russian Ambassador to Persia Killed by a mob
May 1, 1896 Nasser-al-Din Shah, Shah of Persia Mirza Reza Kermani Assassinated on the day of his fiftieth kingship ceremony.
October 3, 1933 Abdolhossein Teymourtash, Minister of the Imperial Court Died in Qasr Prison, possibly assassinated by doctor Ahmad Ahmadi
1937 Firouz Mirza Nosrat-ed-Dowleh Farman Farmaian III, former Foreign Minister of Iran
March 31, 1947 Qazi Muhammad, dissident Kurdish political leader Killed in Mahabad
November 5, 1949 Abdolhossein Hazhir, Minister of the Imperial Court
March 7, 1951 Ali Razmara, Prime Minister of Iran Khalil Tahmasebi, a member of Fada'iyan-e Islam Shot in a mosque.
January 22, 1965 Hassan Ali Mansur, Prime Minister of Iran[14] Mohammad Bokharaei, a member of Fada'iyan-e Islam Died in hospital on January 27
June 28, 1981 Mohammad Beheshti, Chief Justice of Iran Mohammad Reza Kolahi, an operative of the People's Mujahedin of Iran Killed along with 72 others in the Hafte Tir bombing
August 30, 1981 Mohammad Ali Rajai, President of Iran
Mohammad Javad Bahonar, Prime Minister of Iran 		Massoud Keshmiri, an operative of the People's Mujahedin of Iran Killed in the 1981 Iranian Prime Minister's office bombing
November 23, 1988 Kazem Sami, former Minister of Health and leader of the JAMA Party Believed to have been killed as part of the Chain Murders
January 30, 1994 Haik Hovsepian Mehr, Bishop of the Jama'at-e Rabbani Protestant Church Believed to have been killed as part of the Chain Murders
July 5, 1994 Mehdi Dibaj, Christian convert from Shia Islam Believed to have been killed as part of the Chain Murders
January 15, 1997 Ahmad Tafazzoli, professor of Iranian culture Believed to have been killed as part of the Chain Murders
February 22, 1997 Ebrahim Zalzadeh, dissident author and editor Believed to have been killed as part of the Chain Murders
September 22, 1998 Hamid Hajizadeh, poet Believed to have been killed as part of the Chain Murders
November 19, 1998 Majid Sharif, translator and journalist Believed to have been killed as part of the Chain Murders
November 22, 1998 Dariush Forouhar, leader of the Party of the Iranian Nation and his wife, Parvaneh Eskandari Forouhar Believed to have been killed as part of the Chain Murders
December 3, 1998 Mohammad Mokhtari, writer and political activist Believed to have been killed as part of the Chain Murders
December 8, 1998 Mohammad-Ja'far Pouyandeh, writer and political activist Believed to have been killed as part of the Chain Murders
January 11, 2012 Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan, nuclear scientist and university professor Killed by a bomber from a motorcycle
October 17, 2018 Farshid Hakki, human rights activist and environmentalist
November 27, 2020 Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, academic physicist and brigadier general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Killed by a remote-controlled machine gun
May 22, 2022 Hassan Sayyad Khodaei, colonel in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps[15] Unknown, claimed to be Israelis by the IRGC Shot dead by gunmen on a motorcycle in Tehran
April 26, 2023 Ayatollah Abbas-Ali Soleimani, member of the Assembly of Experts[16]

Iraq[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
681 BC Sennacherib, Assyrian king Arda Mulissi Stabbed to death while at prayer in a temple, or possibly crushed under a winged child angelica.[17]
February 20, 244 Gordian III, Roman emperor Possibly killed near Circesium by his troops
January 26, 661 Ali ibn Abi Talib, first Shiite Imam and 4th Caliph of Sunni Islam Abd-al-Rahman ibn Muljam
October 10, 680 Husayn ibn Ali, 3rd Imam of Shia Islam and grandson of the Prophet Muhammed ‘Umar ibn Sa'ad, the head of Kufan army, sent a messenger to Husayn to inquire about the purpose of his coming to Iraq. Husayn answered again that he had responded to the invitation of the people of Kufa but was ready to leave if they now disliked his presence. When Umar ibn Sa'ad, the head of Kufan army, reported it back to ibn Ziyad, the governor instructed him to offer Ḥusayn and his supporters the opportunity to swear allegiance to Yazid. He also ordered Umar to cut off Husayn and his followers from access to the water of the Euphrates.[8] On the next morning, as ʿOmar b. Saʿd arranged the Kufan army in battle order, Al-Hurr ibn Yazid al Tamimi challenged him and went over to Al-Ḥusayn. He addressed the Kufans in vain, rebuking them for their treachery to the grandson of Muhammad, and was killed in the battle
686 Umar ibn Sa'ad, Umayyad general Abu Amra Kaysan Killed by Abu Amra Kaysan, on the orders of Mukhtar al-Thaqafi to avenge the death of Husayn ibn Ali
December 11, 861 Al-Mutawakkil, tenth Abbasid Caliph Turkic guards Caliph al-Mutawakkil had named his three sons as heirs (Al-Muntasir, al-Mu'tazz, al-Mu'ayyad). He seemed to favour al-Muntasir. However, afterwards this seemed to change and al-Muntasir feared his father was going to move against him. So, he decided to strike first. Al-Mutawakkil was killed by a Turkic soldier with the help of his son (Al-Muntasir) on Wednesday the night of 10/11 December, about one hour after midnight, the Turks burst in the chamber where the Caliph was having supper.
June 21, 870 Al-Muhtadi, fourteenth Abbasid caliph Abbasid Turkic regiment The breakdown in relations between the caliph al-Muhtadi and the Abbasid Turkic regiment contributed to the decision by the Samarran regiments to overthrow and kill al-Muhtadi in 21 June 870
October 29, 1936 Jaafar Al-Askari, former Prime Minister of Iraq Assassinated during the 1936 Iraqi coup d'état
July 14, 1958 Faisal II, King of Iraq[14] Killed during the 14 July Revolution
July 14, 1958 Ibrahim Hashem, former Prime Minister of Jordan and Vice President of the Arab Federation Killed during the 14 July Revolution
July 15, 1958 Nuri Pasha as-Said, Prime Minister of Iraq[10] Killed during the 14 July Revolution
February 9, 1963 Abd al-Karim Qasim, Prime Minister of Iraq[10] Killed during a Baath-backed coup
April 9, 1980 Mohammad Baqir al-Sadr, former Grand Ayatollah Killed by Saddam Hussein along with his sister, Bint al-Huda
1980 Bint al-Huda, educator and political activist Killed by Saddam Hussein along with her brother, Mohammad Baqir al-Sadr
January 24, 1988 Mahdi al-Hakim, prominent opposition figure Assassinated in the lobby of the Hilton in the Sudanese capital Khartoum. His companion Halim Abd-al-Wahhab was wounded in the leg.[18]
February 19, 1999 Mohammad Mohammad Sadeq al-Sadr, former Grand Ayatollah Killed in Najaf along with two of his sons
April 10, 2003 Abdul-Majid al-Khoei, Shia cleric
August 19, 2003 Sérgio Vieira de Mello, UN Special Representative in Iraq Killed in the Canal Hotel bombing
August 29, 2003 Sayed Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim, highly influential Shi'ite ayatollah Killed in the Imam Ali Mosque bombing
September 25, 2003 Aquila al-Hashimi, Iraqi Governing Council member
October 28, 2003 Ahmad Shawkat, journalist
May 7, 2004 Waldemar Milewicz, Polish journalist
May 17, 2004 Ezzedine Salim, acting chairman of the Iraqi Governing Council and member of parliament Killed by members of Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad
November 1, 2004 Hatem Kamil, deputy governor of Baghdad Governorate
January 4, 2005 Ali al-Haidari, governor of Baghdad Governorate
January 4, 2005 Hadi Saleh, Secretary of the Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions
April 27, 2005 Lamiya Abed Khadawi, member of parliament
June 28, 2005 Dhari Ali al-Fayadh, member of parliament Killed by members of al-Qaeda in Iraq
July 2005 Ihab al-Sherif, Egyptian ambassador to Iraq Abducted on July 3 by al-Qaeda in Iraq; his death was confirmed on July 7
February 22, 2006 Atwar Bahjat, journalist Yasser al-Takhi
April 27, 2006 Maysoon al-Hashemi, head of the Iraqi Islamic Party women's department
June 7, 2006 Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq Killed in a U.S. airstrike
January 29, 2007 Dia Abdul Zahra Kadim, leader of an armed extremist Shia cult Killed by U.S. military
April 12, 2007 Mohammed Awad, member of parliament Killed in the 2007 Iraqi Parliament bombing
June 25, 2007 Fasal al Gaood, former governor of Al Anbar Governorate
August 11, 2007 Khalil Jalil Hamza, governor of Al-Qādisiyyah Governorate
August 20, 2007 Mohammed Ali al-Hasani, governor of Muthanna Governorate
September 13, 2007 Abdul Sattar Abu Risha, Sunni tribal leader Killed by al-Qaeda in Iraq
October 5, 2008 Mohamed Moumou, Number 2 leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq and senior leader in Northern Iraq Killed by U.S. military
2008 Paulos Faraj Rahho, Chaldean Catholic Archeparch of Mosul Kidnapped on February 29, 2008; his body was discovered on March 13
June 12, 2009 Harith al-Obeidi, member of parliament
December 22, 2009 Riad Abdel Majid, Brigadier General in the Iraqi Army[19]
April 18, 2010 Abu Ayyub al-Masri, leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) Killed by U.S. and Iraqi forces
January 15, 2013 Ayfan Sadoun al-Essawi, prominent Sunni member of parliament[20]
January 3, 2020 Qasem Soleimani, major general of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps United States Air Force Killed in the 2020 Baghdad International Airport airstrike by the United States
Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, Secretary-General of Kata'ib Hezbollah
July 6, 2020 Hisham al-Hashimi, historian and researcher Ahmed Hamdawi Owayid Kinani Killed outside his home
August 19, 2020 Reham Yacoub, human rights advocate and doctor Shot dead by gunmen on a motorcycle
January 15, 2024 Peshraw Dizayee, CEO of Empire World Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Killed in the 2024 Erbil attack by Iran

Israel[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
582/1 BCE Gedaliah, governor of Yehud Ishmael son of Nethaniah
1134 Hugh II of Le Puiset, count of Jaffa Attacked by a Breton knight, and died of his wounds shortly after.
October 1174 Miles of Plancy, regent of the Kingdom of Jerusalem
April 28, 1192 Conrad of Montferrat, King of Jerusalem and leader in the Third Crusade Killed by Hashshashin
June 30, 1924 Jacob Israël de Haan, pro-Orthodox Jewish diplomat Killed by members of Haganah
June 16, 1933 Haim Arlosoroff, Zionist leader in the British Mandate of Palestine
August 26, 1939 Ralph Cairns, commander of the Palestine Police CID's Jewish Section in Jerusalem Assassinated by the Irgun under orders from its commander, Hanoch Kalai
May 28, 1948 Thomas C. Wasson, US Consul General in Jerusalem Shot by a sniper in West Jerusalem
September 17, 1948 Folke Bernadotte, Middle East peace mediator and member of the Swedish Royal Family Assassinated by the Lehi during the First Arab-Israeli War[10]
March 15, 1957 Rudolf Kastner, Hungarian Zionist leader, negotiated the Kasztner train with the Nazis Ze'ev Eckstein, a member of the Lehi
January 12, 1981 Hamad Abu Rabia, member of the Knesset Killed by the sons of Jabr Muadi, a Druze politician
February 10, 1983 Emil Grunzweig, peace activist Yonah Avrushmi Killed by a grenade explosion launched by a right-wing activist during a Peace Now demonstration
November 4, 1995 Yitzhak Rabin, Prime Minister of Israel and 1994 Nobel Peace Prize recipient[2] Yigal Amir Shot by an opponent of the Oslo Accords. See Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin.
December 31, 2000 Binyamin Ze'ev Kahane, son of Meir David Kahane, leader of Kahane Chai, Zionist
October 17, 2001 Rehavam Zeevi, Minister of Tourism Hamdi Quran, Basel al-Asmar, Majdi Rahima Rimawi, and Ahad Olma, members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine

Japan[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
456 Emperor Ankō, Emperor of Japan Prince Mayowa no Ōkimi
592 Emperor Sushun, Emperor of Japan Yamato no Aya no Ataikoma The assassination was ordered by Soga no Umako
645 Soga no Iruka, son of influential statesman Soga no Emishi Killed on the orders of Nakatomi no Kamatari and Prince Naka no Ōe
February 11, 1160 Minamoto no Yoshitomo, head of Minamoto clan, father of Minamoto no Yoritomo
February 13, 1219 Minamoto no Sanetomo, third shōgun of the Kamakura shogunate Kugyō, Sanetomo's nephew
July 12, 1441 Ashikaga Yoshinori, sixth shōgun of the Ashikaga shogunate Killed on the orders of Akamatsu Mitsusuke
August 25, 1486 Ōta Dōkan, samurai, architect and builder of Edo Castle
August 1, 1507 Hosokawa Masamoto, shugo daimyō of Ashikaga shogunate Kosai Motonaga and Hosokawa Sumiyuki
1535 Matsudaira Kiyoyasu, daimyō, feudal leader
September 30, 1551 Ōuchi Yoshitaka, daimyō, feudal leader
November 22, 1557 Oda Nobuyuki, samurai, younger brother of Oda Nobunaga
June 17, 1565 Ashikaga Yoshiteru, shōgun, feudal leader Miyoshi clan Killed on the orders of Matsunaga Hisahide
February 24, 1566 Mimura Iechika, daimyō, feudal leader Endō Matajirō and Yoshijirō Killed on the orders of Ukita Naoie
August 20, 1578 Yamanaka Shikanosuke, samurai Killed by soldiers of the Mōri clan
June 21, 1582 Oda Nobunaga, samurai warlord Forces of Akechi Mitsuhide
1669 Shakushain, Ainu chieftain
January 30, 1703 Kira Yoshinaka, master of ceremonies Killed by a group known as the Forty-seven Ronin
March 24, 1860 Ii Naosuke, Tairō of the Tokugawa Shogunate
October 27, 1863 Serizawa Kamo, chief of Shinsen-gumi
August 12, 1864 Sakuma Shozan, politician Kawakami Gensai, samurai
December 10, 1867 Sakamoto Ryōma, author
December 7, 1869 Ōmura Masujirō, military leader and theorist
February 15, 1869 Yokoi Shōnan, scholar and politician
May 14, 1878 Okubo Toshimichi, Home Minister of Japan, briefly most powerful man in Japan Shimada Ichirō
February 12, 1889 Mori Arinori, Education Minister
October 26, 1909 Hirobumi Itō, former Prime Minister of Japan An Jung-geun, Korean independence activist
September 28, 1921 Yasuda Zenjirō, entrepreneur and founder of the Yasuda zaibatsu, great-grand father of Yoko Ono
November 4, 1921 Hara Takashi, Prime Minister of Japan Nakaoka Kon'ichi, a right-wing railroad switchman
August 26, 1931 Osachi Hamaguchi, Prime Minister of Japan Tomeo Sagoya, a member of the Aikoku-sha ultranationalist secret society
February 9, 1932 Junnosuke Inoue, businessman Sho Onuma Part of the League of Blood Incident
March 5, 1932 Dan Takuma, zaibatsu leader Goro Hishinuma, right-wing nationalist Part of the League of Blood Incident
May 15, 1932 Inukai Tsuyoshi, Prime Minister of Japan Killed by naval officers in the May 15 Incident
May 26, 1932 Yoshinori Shirakawa, general of the Imperial Japanese Army Yun Bong-gil, Korean independence activist
August 12, 1935 Tetsuzan Nagata, general of the Imperial Japanese Army Saburo Aizawa, army officer
February 26, 1936 Saitō Makoto, admiral of the Imperial Japanese Navy, former Prime Minister of Japan Imperial Way Faction Killed in the February 26 Incident.
Takahashi Korekiyo, former Prime Minister of Japan
Jōtarō Watanabe, Inspector General of Military Training
October 12, 1960 Inejiro Asanuma, Socialist Party of Japan chairman Otoya Yamaguchi While Asanuma spoke from the lectern at Tokyo's Hibiya Hall during a televised debate, Yamaguchi rushed onstage and ran his wakizashi (a type of traditional Japanese sword) through Asanuma's abdomen, killing him.
June 18, 1985 Kazuo Nagano, fraudster Masakazu Yano and Atsuo Iida
July 12, 1991 Hitoshi Igarashi, translated The Satanic Verses into Japanese
April 23, 1995 Hideo Murai, leading member of Aum Shinrikyo Hiroyuki Jo, member of the Yamaguchi-gumi
October 25, 2002 Kōki Ishii, Member of the House of Representatives Ito Hakusui, member of the Yamaguchi-gumi
April 18, 2007 Iccho Itoh, Mayor of Nagasaki Tetsuya Shiroo, member of the Yamaguchi-gumi
July 8, 2022 Shinzo Abe, Member of the House of Representatives and former Prime Minister of Japan Tetsuya Yamagami Shot in the chest and neck during a campaign speech in Nara by an improvised firearm.

Jordan[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
1200 BC Eglon, Moabite king Ehud Stabbed to death in his throne room (Judges 3:12-30).
July 17, 1951 Riad Al Solh, former Prime Minister of Lebanon Shot at Amman Airport during visit to Jordan by members of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party.
July 20, 1951 Abdullah I, King of Jordan Mustafa Ashi, a Palestinian from the al-Husayni family Shot when entering the Al Aqsa Mosque.[2]
August 29, 1960 Hazza al-Majali, Prime Minister of Jordan Killed with 10 others by time bomb in office[10]
October 28, 2002 Laurence Foley, USAID official Killed by Al-Qaeda operatives

Kazakhstan[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
February 11, 2006 Altynbek Sarsenbayuly, former government minister turned opposition leader and critic of President Nursultan Nazarbayev

Korea[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
October 8, 1895 Queen Min, the first official wife of King Gojong, the 26th king of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. Japanese agents under Miura Goro, with the aid of the "Hullyeondae", a Japanese trained Regiment of the Royal Guards. See the Assassination of Empress Myeonseong
July 19, 1947 Lyuh Woon-hyung, former head of People's Republic of Korea Han Chigeun, a refugee from North Korea
June 26, 1949 Kim Gu, former President of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea Ahn Doo-hee, a South Korean lieutenant
August 15, 1974 Yuk Young-soo, First Lady of South Korea Mun Se-gwang Shot by a North Korean sympathizer during an assassination attempt on her husband, President Park Chung-hee
October 26, 1979 Park Chung-hee, President of South Korea[2] Kim Jae-kyu, Director of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency See Assassination of Park Chung-hee.

Kuwait[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
March 30, 1971 Hardan al-Tikriti, former Iraqi defense minister and vice president Killed on the orders of Saddam Hussein

Kyrgyzstan[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
December 4, 1980 Sultan Ibraimov, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Kirghiz SSR

Laos[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
April 1, 1963 Quinim Pholsena, foreign minister of Laos Chy Kong, a soldier assigned to guard Pholsena's villa

Lebanon[edit]

See also: List of assassinated Lebanese politicians
Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
1152 Raymond II of Tripoli, count of Tripoli Killed by Hashshashin
April 28, 1192 Conrad of Montferrat Killed by Hashshashin
August 17, 1270 Philip of Montfort, Lord of Tyre Killed by Hashshashin
August 6, 1921 Fouad Jumblatt founder of the Progressive Socialist Party and Druze leader
October 31, 1950 Sami al-Hinnawi, Syrian head of state Hersho al-Barazi Killed by a cousin of former Prime Minister Muhsin al-Barazi, who al-Hinnawi had executed following a coup.
July 17, 1951 Riad Al Solh, first Prime minister of Lebanon
October 13, 1958 Waheed el Solh, aide to Prime Minister Sami Solh Assassinated during the 1958 Lebanon Crisis
July 12, 1959 Naim Moghabghab, Member of Parliament for the National Liberal Party killed when opponents attacked him in his car
May 16, 1966 Kamel Mrowa, the publisher of Al-Hayat and The Daily Star newspapers Independent Nasserite Movement Shot at his office in Beirut.[21]
March 4, 1972 Muhammad Umran, former Minister of Defense of Syria Shot outside his home in Tripoli
July 8, 1972 Ghassan Kanafani, Palestinian writer & spokesperson for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine Mossad Killed by a 3-kg bomb attached to his car in Beirut along with his 17-year old niece.
April 9, 1973 Kamal Adwan, senior Fatah officer Israel Defence Force See IDF seaborne attack
April 9, 1973 Muhammad Youssef al-Najjar, member of the Palestine Liberation Organization executive IDF Wife and elderly neighbor also killed. See 1973 Israeli raid on Lebanon
April 9, 1973 Kamal Nasser, Palestinian poet IDF See 1973 Israeli raid on Lebanon
March 6, 1975 Maarouf Saad, Member of Parliament for Sidon Lebanese Army (Alleged) Shot during a fisherman's protest and later died in a Beirut hospital
July 15, 1975 Amine Abouchahine, senior member of the Progressive Socialist Party Kataeb Regulatory Forces
June 16, 1976 Francis E. Meloy, Jr., United States Ambassador to Lebanon Killed by members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
June 16, 1976 Robert O. Waring, US Economic Counselor to Lebanon Killed by members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
March 16, 1977 Kamal Jumblatt, Druze leader
June 7, 1978[22] Joud el Bayeh, Kataeb Party leader in Zgharta and Marada Movement affiliate Right-wing militiamen His assassination is believed to have triggered the Ehden massacre.[22]
June 13, 1978 Tony Frangieh, Christian leader Killed by Phalangists led by Elie Hobeika
January 22, 1979 Ali Hassan Salameh, Fatah security chief and CIA asset Mossad Killed in a car bomb along with eight other people in Beirut
March 6, 1980 Salim Lawzi, journalist Syrian intelligence agents
July 23, 1980 Riad Taha, journalist and president of the Lebanese Publishers Association. Although there have been rumors that Syrian intelligence killed him, there is also another report, stating that Taha was killed due to the feud between his family and another Shiite family.[23]
July 28, 1980 Musa Shuaib, poet and member of Ba'ath Party Killed by a car bomb at Beirut International Airport along with three others
April 1982 Sheikh Ahmad Assaf, Sunni cleric
September 14, 1982 Bachir Gemayel, President-elect of Lebanon Habib Tanious Shartouni Bomb explosion in the Kataeb's Beirut headquarters.[2]
January 19, 1984 Malcolm H. Kerr President of the AUB Islamic Jihad Organisation Shot by two gunmen outside his office
February 16, 1984 Ragheb Harb, Shia leader in south Lebanon Collaborators working for Shin Bet Shot outside home
October 1986 Sobhi Saleh, head of the Sunni Islamic Higher Council.
June 1, 1987 Rashid Karami, Prime Minister of Lebanon Killed by bomb aboard helicopter, planted by the Lebanese Forces.[2]
August 2, 1987 Mohammad Choucair, advisor to President Amine Gemayel Killed in his West Beirut apartment
February 9, 1989 Anwar al-Fatayri, Progressive Socialist Party official Officer in the Lebanese army Shot at a public event
May 16, 1989 Hassan Khaled, leader of Sunni community West Beirut
September 21, 1989 Nazem Qadri, Member of Parliament from Beqaa region driver also killed
November 22, 1989 René Moawad, President of Lebanon Killed along with 23 others when a 250-kg car bomb exploded while he was being driven through West Beirut
October 21, 1990 Dany Chamoun, son of former President Camille Chamoun Syrian occupation army[citation needed] Killed along with his wife and 2 sons. Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea was convicted but later cleared of the murder.
February 16, 1992 Abbas al-Musawi, Secretary-General of Hezbollah IDF Killed in an airstrike which also killed his wife, son and four others
August 6, 1993 Henri Philippe Pharaoun, former Foreign Minister Bodyguard Was murdered in his bedroom at the Carlton Hotel[24]
January 29, 1994 Naib Ma'ayta, First Secretary of the Jordanian Embassy Shot in head and chest by lone gunman outside his Beirut apartment[25]
April 13, 1994 Talib Suhayl al-Tamimi, leading member of the Council for a Free Iraq. Four diplomats from the Iraqi embassy detained. One died in prison, the other three sent back to Iraq in 1996[26]
August 31, 1995 Nizar al-Halabi, leader of the Al-Ahbash Sufi movement[27] members of Osbat al-Ansar, a Salafist group based in Ain el-Hilweh refugee camp.
January 24, 2002 Elie Hobeika, militia leader Lebanese for a Free and Independent Lebanon[citation needed] Killed by a car bomb near his house in the Beirut suburb of Hazmiyeh.
May 7, 2002 Ramzi Irani, Lebanese Forces student representative at Lebanese University Was walking down Hamra Street on his way to celebrate the birthday of his 5-year-old daughter, Yasmina when he was kidnapped without a trace.
July 19, 2004 Ghaleb Awwali, Amal official Killed by a car bomb in Beirut
February 14, 2005 Rafik Hariri, billionaire and former Prime Minister of Lebanon Killed, along with more than 20 others by a one tonne truck bomb that exploded as his motorcade passed by in Beirut. Members of Hezbollah are suspected. See Assassination of Rafic Hariri
April 18, 2005 Bassel Fleihan, Economics Minister in the Hariri government travelling in Hariri's motorcade, died of wounds sustained in explosion. See Assassination of Rafic Hariri
June 2, 2005 Samir Kassir, columnist at "An Nahar" newspaper and fierce critic of Syria
June 21, 2005 George Hawi, former chief of the Lebanese Communist Party
December 12, 2005 Gibran Tueni, Editor in Chief of "An Nahar" newspaper
November 21, 2006 Pierre Gemayel, Minister of Industry
June 13, 2007 Walid Eido, Future Party member of the Lebanese Parliament Killed by an 80 kg car bomb that killed six others in Beirut
September 19, 2007 Antoine Ghanim, member of the Lebanese Parliament
December 12, 2007 François al-Hajj, General
January 25, 2008 Wissam Eid, senior intelligence official within the Internal Security Forces of Lebanon
February 12, 2008 Imad Mughniyah, senior Hezbollah member Killed by a car bomb blast at around 23:00 in the Kafr Sousa neighborhood of Damascus, Syria.
September 10, 2008 Saleh al Aridi, leader of the Lebanese Democratic Party Killed by a 700gm bomb placed in his car outside his home in Aley District
October 19, 2012 Wissam al-Hassan, head of information branch of the Internal Security Forces
December 4, 2013 Hassan al-Laqqis, military commander of Hezbollah
December 27, 2013 Mohamad Chatah, former finance minister, ambassador to the United States, and advisor to Prime Minister Saad Hariri Killed by a car bomb in Beirut. Presumed to be because Chatah was mentioned as a potential candidate for prime minister. Saad Hariri hinted that he believed the assassins to be from Hezbollah.[28]
February 4, 2021 Lokman Slim, publisher, political activist and commentator Stated that Hezbollah supporters had been threatening him at his home and accusing him of treason before his murder.[29]
January 2, 2024 Saleh al-Arouri, deputy leader of Hamas Israel Killed along with six others by an Israeli drone strike in Dahieh, Beirut.[30] See Assassination of Saleh al Arouri.

Malaysia[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
November 2, 1875 James Wheeler Woodford Birch, British Resident Minister in the State of Perak Speared to death by followers of Malay chief Lela Pandak Lam, while in the bath-house of his boat at Pasir Salak
December 10, 1949 Duncan Stewart, Second Governor of Sarawak, a British Crown Colony (1946–1963) Rukun 13 members Rosli Dhobie, Morshidi Sidek, Awang Ramli Mohd Deli, and Bujang Suntong Stabbed to death during his arrival at Sibu
October 6, 1951 Henry Gurney, British High Commissioner in Malaya (1948–1951) Shot to death by a guerilla unit from the Malayan Communist Party at Fraser's Hill during the Malayan Emergency
7 June 1974 Abdul Rahman Hashim, Inspector-General of Police Shot dead by acommunist subversive at Mountbatten Road (now Jalan Tun Perak) and Weld Road (now Jalan Raja Chulan), Kuala Lumpur.
18 October 2006 Shaariibuugiin Altantuyaa, Mongolian national allegedly connected to future Prime Minister Najib Razak and his inner circle Murdered by C-4 explosives or was killed first and her remains destroyed with C-4 in a deserted area in Shah Alam, near Kuala Lumpur.[31]
January 11, 2008 S. Krishnasamy, state assemblyman for the Tenggaroh constituency
July 29, 2013 Hussain Najadi, banker and founder of AmBank Shot twice at close range by an unidentified assailant
February 13, 2017 Kim Jong-nam, older brother of North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong-un Poisoned with VX nerve agent by two women at Kuala Lumpur International Airport

Maldives[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
October 2, 2012 Afrasheem Ali, legislator and Islamic scholar

Mongolia[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
October 2, 1998 Sanjaasürengiin Zorig, politician and democratic activist Stabbed to death in his apartment

Myanmar (Burma)[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
c. 1168 Alaungsithu, King of Pagan Kingdom Narathu, his son
1550 Tabinshwehti, King of Taungoo Dynasty Assassinated by Mon revival
1628 Anaukpetlun, King of Nyaungyan Dynasty
August 2, 1866 Crown Prince Ka Naung, son of King Tharrawaddy and younger brother of King Mindon
July 19, 1947 Aung San, nationalist leader, Prime Minister of Burma and founder of Thirty Comrades
Aung San and his wife, Khin Kyi
 U Saw (ringleader), former Prime Minister of British Burma Shot during a cabinet meeting along with several other ministers
July 19, 1947 Thakin Mya, Minister of Finance 〃 〃
July 19, 1947 Ba Cho, Minister of Information 〃 〃
July 19, 1947 U Razak, Minister of Education 〃 〃
July 19, 1947 Mahn Ba Khaing, Minister of Industry 〃 〃
July 19, 1947 Sao San Htun, Minister of Hill Regions 〃 〃
July 19, 1947 Ohn Maung, Deputy Minister of Transport 〃 〃
July 19, 1947 U Ba Win, Minister of Trade 〃 〃
October 9, 1983 Lee Beom-seok, Foreign Minister of South Korea North Korean agents Killed in the Rangoon bombing
October 9, 1983 Suh Sang-chul, Minister of Power Resources of South Korea North Korean agents Killed in the Rangoon bombing

Nepal[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
April 25, 1806 Rana Bahadur Shah, former king of Nepal Sher Bahadur Shah Killed by his half brother
May 17, 1845 Mathabarsingh Thapa, Prime Minister of Nepal Jung Bahadur Rana
September 14, 1846 Fateh Jung Shah, Prime Minister of Nepal Jung Bahadur Rana Killed in the Kot Massacre
November 22, 1885 Ranodip Singh Kunwar, Prime Minister of Nepal Khadga Shumsher, Bhim Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana, and Dambar Shumsher Killed by his nephews in a coup
June 1, 2001 Birendra, King of Nepal, along with Queen Aishwarya and 9 other members of the royal family[2] Alleged to be Crown Prince Dipendra, but not confirmed. See Nepalese royal massacre.

Pakistan[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
October 16, 1951 Liaquat Ali Khan, first Prime Minister of Pakistan[2] Said Akbar Babrak Shot during a political gathering in Rawalpindi
February 1960 Esther John, Christian nurse Found murdered in her bed.
February 8, 1975 Hayat Sherpao, former Governor of the North-West Frontier Province Killed by an Afghan Marxist[32]
August 17, 1988 Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, President of Pakistan and Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army Killed in a suspicious aircraft accident possibly caused by a bomb blast (Disputed by various theories). See Death and state funeral of Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
November 24, 1989 Abdullah Yusuf Azzam, Palestinian Islamic theologian, supporter of the Afghan mujahideen and proponent of militant jihadism Killed by a car bomb in Peshawar by operatives believed to be working for KhAD or Hekmatyar[33][34]
October 3, 1991 Fazle Haq, former governor of the North-West Frontier Province
September 1993 Ghulam Haider Wyne, former Chief Minister of Punjab Province
April 16, 1995 Iqbal Masih, 13-year-old anti-child labor activist Killed for his campaign against abusive child labour
September 20, 1996 Murtaza Bhutto, politician, leader of Al-Zulfiqar and estranged brother of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto Killed during an encounter with police in Karachi. Suspected to have been killed in extrajudicial fashion.
October 17, 1998 Hakim Said, founder of Hamdard Foundation and Hamdard University and former Governor of Sindh
July 28, 2001 Siddiq Khan Kanju, former Foreign Minister of Pakistan
December 27, 2007 Benazir Bhutto, former Prime Minister of Pakistan Unknown, widely believed to be Islamist militants, possibly Al-Qaeda Killed by a suicide bomber while leaving a political rally for the Pakistan Peoples Party at the same location where Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan was assassinated in Rawalpindi. See Assassination of Benazir Bhutto.
August 5, 2009 Baitullah Mehsud, Islamist militant and leader of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan Killed by a U.S. drone strike
January 4, 2011 Salman Taseer, Governor of Punjab Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri Killed by one of his security guards due to Taseer's opposition to Pakistan's blasphemy laws
March 2, 2011 Shahbaz Bhatti, Minorities Minister Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan Killed due to his opposition to Pakistan's blasphemy laws
May 2, 2011 Osama bin Laden, leader of Al-Qaeda United States Navy SEALs Killed in a raid at his clandestine hideout in Abbottabad. See Killing of Osama bin Laden
June 4, 2012 Abu Yahya al-Libi, high-ranking Al-Qaeda official Killed by a U.S. drone strike
August 16, 2015 Shuja Khanzada, Home Minister of Punjab Killed in the 2015 Attock bombing
February 1, 2018 Hazar Khan Bijarani, member of the Provincial Assembly of Sindh and former member of the National Assembly of Pakistan
November 2, 2018 Maulana Sami ul Haq, religious scholar, former Senator and leader of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (S)
October 14, 2022 Muhammad Noor Meskanzai, Chief Justice of the Federal Shariat Court

Palestine[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
1986 Zafer al-Masri, Mayor of Nablus
1996 Yahya Ayyash, Hamas' explosives expert
2001 Abu Ali Mustafa, leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
2002 Salah Shahade, leader of Hamas' military wing
2003 Ibrahim al-Makadmeh, co-founder of Hamas
2003 Mekled Hameid, Islamic Jihad Movement commander
2004 Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, leader and founder of Hamas
2004 Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi, leader of Hamas
2004 Izz El-Deen Sheikh Khalil, Hamas operative
2004 Adnan al-Ghoul, Hamas' explosives expert
2009 Nizar Rayan, Senior Hamas leader
2009 Said Seyam, Senior Hamas leader
2009 Abu Zakaria al-Jamal, Senior Hamas military commander
11 May 2022 Shireen Abu Akleh, journalist Israeli Defense Force Was shot while covering a raid on the Jenin Refugee Camp in the West Bank by the IDF and was later determined to have been killed by Israeli fire.

Philippines[edit]

Main article: List of assassinations in the Philippines

Qatar[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
2004 Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev, former President of separatist Chechnya Killed by a car bomb in Doha. See Assassination of Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev

Saudi Arabia[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
March 25, 1975 Faisal, King of Saudi Arabia Prince Faisal bin Musa'id Shot by nephew at palace.[14]

Sri Lanka[edit]

See also: List of assassinations of the Sri Lankan Civil War and List of assassinations of the Second JVP Insurrection
Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
September 25, 1959 S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, Prime Minister of Ceylon Talduwe Somarama, a Buddhist monk who later converted to Christianity[2] See Assassination of S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike
July 27, 1975 Alfred Duraiappah, Mayor of Jaffna Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
December 15, 1986 Daya Pathirana, leader of the Independent Students Union of the University of Colombo Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) See Assassination of Daya Pathirana
February 16, 1989 Vijaya Kumaratunga, movie actor and founder of the Sri Lanka Mahajana Pakshaya Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) See Assassination of Vijaya Kumaratunga
November 13, 1989 Rohana Wijeweera, founder and leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna Sri Lankan Armed Forces
July 13, 1989 A. Amirthalingam, Tamil separatist and leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
March 2, 1991 Ranjan Wijeratne, Foreign Minister & Minister of State for Defence Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
April 23, 1993 Lalith Athulathmudali, former cabinet minister Janaka Priyankara Jayamanne
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) (allegedly) 		The investigations carried out by the Sri Lanka Police and the Scotland Yard concluded that the assassination was carried out by the LTTE. However the findings were widely disputed, and a new presidential commission appointed to investigate the assassination by President Chandrika Kumaratunga reported former President Ranasinghe Premadasa and close security personnel as directly responsible for the assassination.[35][36][37] The assassination remains highly controversial.[38] See Assassination of Lalith Athulathmudali
May 1, 1993 Ranasinghe Premadasa, President of Sri Lanka Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Killed by a suicide bomber on May Day parade. The attack was purportedly carried out by the LTTE. See Assassination of Ranasinghe Premadasa
October 24, 1994 Gamini Dissanayake, presidential candidate and United National Party MP Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
May 17, 1998 Sarojini Yogeswaran, Mayor of Jaffna Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
September 11, 1998 Pon Sivapalan, Mayor of Jaffna Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
July 29, 1999 Neelan Tiruchelvam, Tamil United Liberation Front MP Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
December 18, 1999 Lakshman Algama, former Chief of Staff of the Army and United National Party politician Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
June 8, 2000 C. V. Gunaratne, Minister of Industrial Development Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
December 25, 2005 Joseph Pararajasingham, Tamil National Alliance MP Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP)
August 12, 2005 Lakshman Kadirgamar, Foreign Minister Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
June 26, 2006 Parami Kulatunga, army general Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
November 10, 2006 Nadarajah Raviraj, Tamil National Alliance MP Pro-government paramilitary groups (allegedly)
January 1, 2008 T. Maheswaran, United National Party MP Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Killed by the LTTE in retaliation for having talks with President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
January 8, 2008 D. M. Dassanayake, Nation Building Minister and Sri Lanka Freedom Party MP Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
March 6, 2008 K. Sivanesan, Tamil National Alliance MP Deep Penetration Unit of the Sri Lankan Army
April 6, 2008 Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, Minister of Highways and Road Development and Sri Lanka Freedom Party MP Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
January 8, 2009 Lasantha Wickrematunge, editor of The Sunday Leader A vocal critic of President Mahinda Rajapaksa[39] and his brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa,[40] the then-incumbent defence secretary. Many blamed the government for his assassination. See Assassination of Lasantha Wickrematunge

Syria[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
246 BC Antiochus II Theos, Seleucid king
223 BC Seleucus III Ceraunus, Seleucid king
176 BC Seleucus IV Philopator, Seleucid king
146 BC Alexander Balas, Seleucid king
138 BC Antiochus VI Dionysus, Seleucid heir to the throne
285 Numerian, Roman emperor Arrius Aper, his father-in-law Killed in Emesa (modern-day Homs)
1146 Imad ad-Din Zengi, ruler of Aleppo and Mosul and founder of the Zengid dynasty Yarankash He was assassinated by a Frankish slave named Yarankash in September 1146, after the ruler drunkenly threatened him with punishment for drinking from his goblet.[41]
1213 Raymond of Antioch, heir to the throne of Antioch and Tripoli Killed by Hashshashin
1940 Abd al-Rahman Shahbandar, Syrian Arab nationalist
August 1, 2008 Muhammad Suleiman, security adviser to President Bashar al-Assad
February 12, 2008 Imad Mughniyah, senior member of Hezbollah
July 18, 2012 Dawoud Rajiha, Defense Minister Either Liwa al Islam or the Free Syrian Army (both claimed responsibility) Killed either with a remotely detonated bomb or via suicide attack as part of the Syrian civil war. Several other leading government officials may have been injured or killed.
Asef Shawkat, Deputy Defense Minister
Hasan Turkmani, Chief of Staff of the Syrian Armed Forces
Hisham Ikhtiyar, Intelligence and National Security Chief

Thailand[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
c. 1548 Worawongsathirat, King of the Ayutthaya Kingdom
9 June 1946 King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII), eighth monarch of Thailand under the House of Chakri Mysteriously found dead in his bedroom with a gunshot wound to the head, whilst a M1911 pistol was found by his left hand (despite him being right-handed).
29 August 1961 Princess Lakshamilavan, King Vajiravudh's 2nd spouse Sang Homjan
Virat Kanjanaphai
8 August 1968 Suraphol Sombatcharoen, singer. Assassinated at 00:02 am., August 8, 1968 at Nakhon Pathom province, in his concert tour time.
16 February 1977 Princess Vibhavadi Rangsit, Princess Shot down by Communist insurgents in a helicopter crash whilst helping rural villagers in Surat Thani Province.
10 April 1991 Klaew Thanikhul, boxing promoter.
11 April 1996 Saengchai Sunthornwat, chairman of the public broadcaster MCOT Ubol Bunyachalothorn
13 May 2010 Khattiya Sawasdipol, security chief of the Red Shirt Movement during the 2010 Thai political protests Shot in the head by a sniper while giving an interview to a reporter for The New York Times at about 7 p.m.

Turkey[edit]

See also: List of assassinated people from Turkey

United Arab Emirates[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
January 19, 2010 Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, a member of Hamas Widely believed to be Mossad agents Killed in his hotel room in Dubai. Exact cause of death unknown; possibilities include suffocation, strangulation, and electrocution. See Assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh.

Vietnam[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
November 2, 1963 Ngo Dinh Nhu, politician[2] Killed along with his brother, Ngo Dinh Diem
November 2, 1963 Ngo Dinh Diem, first president of South Vietnam[2] Generally believed to be Nguyen Van Nhung and Duong Hieu Nghia, on orders from Duong Van Minh Part of the 1963 South Vietnamese coup. See Arrest and assassination of Ngo Dinh Diem.
November 26, 1978 Thanh Nga, actress two kidnappers Killed along with her husband, Pham Duy Lan, during a failed kidnap of their 5-year-old son in front of their house.

Yemen[edit]

Date Victim(s) Assassin(s) Notes
1948 Imam Yahya, King of Yemen Killed in an ambush during the Alwaziri coup
1977 Ibrahim al-Hamadi, president of North Yemen
1978 Ahmad al-Ghashmi, president of North Yemen Killed by bomb along with envoy from South Yemen.
1986 Abdul Fattah Ismail, former Head of State of South Yemen
Ali Ahmad Nasir Antar, Vice President of South Yemen
Saleh Muslih Qassem, Defence Minister of South Yemen
Ali Shayi' Hadi, senior official of the Yemeni Socialist Party 		Bodyguards of President Ali Nasir Muhammad Killed during an attempted coup that sparked the South Yemen Civil War
2002 Jarallah Omar, deputy secretary-general of Yemeni Socialist Party
2011 Anwar al-Aulaqi, spokesman and recruiter for al-Qaeda, leader of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula Killed in a US drone strike
2013 Said Ali al-Shihri, deputy leader of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula Killed in a US drone strike. Numerous earlier reports of his death had been previously proven wrong.[42]
2017 Ali Abdullah Saleh, former President of Yemen Killed shortly after withdrawing support for the Houthi movement

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ 20th Century Timeline, p.119
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Historic Assassinations Since 1865," The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2004, p.156 (World Almanac 2004)
  3. ^ "PNCP.net".
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  18. ^ "Iraqi's Death in Sudan Linked to Iran Faction". The New York Times. January 24, 1988.
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  34. ^ Coll, Steve (2004). Ghost wars : the secret history of the CIA, Afghanistan, and bin Laden, from the Soviet invasion to September 10, 2001. New York: Penguin Press. ISBN 1-59420-007-6. OCLC 52814066. Archived from the original on August 11, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
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  42. ^ Source: reuters // Reuters (2013-01-24). "Arabian Al-Qaeda's Number Two Is Dead (Reuters)". Trust.org. Archived from the original on 2013-04-16. Retrieved 2013-02-18. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
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