"Caucasian Knot" statistics casts doubt on data of US State Department on terrorism in North Caucasus

The data on manifestations of terrorist activity in Russia in 2012, published in the annual report of the US State Department, are essentially diverging from the results of monitoring the consequences of the armed conflict in the North Caucasus, conducted by the "Caucasian Knot" on the basis of its own materials and information from open sources.

The report of US State Department, released on May 30, contains information about 182 terror attacks committed in Russia in 2012.

Meanwhile, the statistics compiled by the "Caucasian Knot" over the regions of the North-Caucasian Federal District, where the vast majority of Russia's terror acts are committed, shows a significantly lower figure for 2012 – 96 terror attacks and explosions, including seven suicide bombings and self-explosions.

The US State Department asserts that the last year's count of victims of the "terror attacks" committed in the territory of Russia was 659 dead and 490 wounded persons.

At the same time, according to the statistics of the "Caucasian Knot", in 2012, at least 1225 people fell victim to the armed conflict in the North Caucasus; of whom 700 persons were killed and at least 525 more were wounded.

The armed confrontation has the heaviest impact on the civilian population of the North Caucasus regions. In 2012, at least 87 civilians were lost and at least 125 civilians more were wounded as a result of terror attacks, explosions and shootings.