What is a suicide vest?

A suicide vest is a form of explosive device that is designed to be worn by an individual and detonated, typically by the wearer, with the intention of causing a large explosion and inflicting significant damage and casualties. Suicide vests are commonly used by terrorist organizations and individuals seeking to carry out acts of terrorism or martyrdom operations.

Suicide vests are typically constructed from a combination of explosives, shrapnel, and other materials designed to maximize the lethality of the explosion. The explosives are typically contained within a vest or belt worn by the individual, with a trigger mechanism that can be activated by the wearer to detonate the device.

The use of suicide vests has been a common tactic employed by terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda, ISIS, and Boko Haram, among others. These groups often recruit individuals to carry out suicide attacks using vests as a means of spreading fear and causing mass casualties.

The use of suicide vests is considered a heinous and cowardly act of terrorism, and individuals who carry out such attacks are often willing to sacrifice their own lives in order to cause harm and destruction to others. Governments and security forces around the world work to prevent and combat the threat of suicide bombings and attacks involving suicide vests through intelligence gathering, counterterrorism operations, and security measures.