Introduction

Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (VBIEDs) represent one of the most potent and adaptable weapons in the arsenal of terrorists, insurgents, and non-state actors. A VBIED is essentially an improvised explosive device (IED) delivered via a vehicle, such as a car, truck, van, or even a motorcycle, to inflict maximum damage on a target. These devices can be parked and detonated remotely or by timer, allowing the perpetrator to escape. In contrast, Suicide Vehicle-Borne IEDs (SVBIEDs) involve a driver who intentionally detonates the device upon reaching the target, often sacrificing themselves in the process. This variant adds a layer of precision and unpredictability, as the human operator can manoeuvre around obstacles to ensure optimal impact.

The appeal of VBIEDs and SVBIEDs lies in their relative simplicity, low cost, and high destructive potential. Common vehicles blend into everyday traffic, making detection challenging, while the explosive payload—often homemade—can range from hundreds to thousands of pounds, capable of causing mass casualties, structural collapse, and widespread disruption. Over the decades, these tactics have evolved from isolated incidents to hallmarks of asymmetric warfare, particularly in conflict zones like Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and Somalia. Their use has not only resulted in significant loss of life but has also influenced military strategies, urban planning, and counterterrorism policies worldwide.

Historical Evolution

The concept of using vehicles to deliver explosives dates back over a century. One of the earliest recorded VBIED attacks in the United States occurred in 1920, when Italian anarchist Mario Buda detonated a horse-drawn wagon filled with explosives on Wall Street in New York City, killing 40 people and injuring hundreds. This incident is often cited as the first modern car bomb, though it used a wagon.

In 1927, the Bath School disaster in Michigan marked another grim milestone. Andrew Kehoe, motivated by grievances over property taxes, used a motorized truck laden with explosives as part of a multi-stage attack on a school, resulting in 45 deaths, mostly children. This remains one of America’s worst school massacres and demonstrated the potential for VBIEDs in domestic terrorism.

The tactic gained prominence in the latter half of the 20th century, particularly in conflicts involving insurgent groups. During the Lebanese Civil War in the 1980s, groups like Hezbollah pioneered the use of SVBIEDs, most notably in the 1983 Beirut barracks bombings, which killed 241 U.S. service members and 58 French paratroopers. These attacks highlighted the vulnerability of military installations to vehicle-based threats.

In the 1990s, VBIEDs entered the American consciousness through domestic incidents. The 1993 World Trade Center bombing involved a van packed with urea nitrate explosives, killing six and injuring over a thousand. Two years later, Timothy McVeigh’s truck bomb devastated the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, claiming 168 lives and injuring more than 600. These events underscored the accessibility of VBIEDs to lone actors or small cells using readily available materials.

The Global War on Terror amplified the use of VBIEDs and SVBIEDs. In Iraq and Afghanistan, groups like Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) and later the Islamic State (ISIS) employed them extensively against coalition forces and civilians. ISIS, in particular, refined SVBIED tactics during the battles for Mosul and Raqqa, deploying hundreds in coordinated assaults. Similar patterns emerged in Somalia with Al-Shabaab’s massive truck bombs, such as the 2017 Mogadishu attack that killed over 500 people.

Recent years have seen adaptations, including the integration of chemical agents by ISIS in 2014 and the export of designs to affiliates in Nigeria and the Philippines. Even in Europe, incidents like the 2007 London car bombs and the 2011 Norway attack by Anders Breivik illustrate the global reach of this method.

Design and Construction

VBIEDs and SVBIEDs are dangerous because they are highly adaptable. Attackers choose vehicles based on what is easily available and what suits the mission. Small cars are often used in cities because they blend into traffic, while vans or trucks are chosen when a larger explosive load is needed. The explosives usually come from industrial or improvised materials, making these devices cheap to build but highly destructive.

SVBIEDs are often modified to improve their chances of reaching the target. Groups like Islamic State of Iraq and Syria developed up-armoured vehicles by welding metal plates around the driver’s cabin. This protects the driver from gunfire and allows the vehicle to break through security. Such vehicles may be painted or shaped to resemble military or official vehicles.

VBIEDs are commonly detonated using remote controls or timers, while SVBIEDs rely on manual switches operated by the driver. Many devices also include shrapnel such as nails or ball bearings to increase casualties.

A related method is the under-vehicle IED (UVIED), where a smaller bomb is fixed beneath a vehicle, usually for targeted assassinations.

Examples include up-armoured SVBIEDs used by ISIS in Iraq and similar vehicle bombs deployed by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in Syria.

Tactics and Usage

VBIEDs are used in many different situations. In cities, they take advantage of traffic jams to launch sudden attacks near crowded places or security checkpoints. SVBIEDs are more common in military-style attacks, where the driver pushes through defenses to break gates or walls, often as part of a larger assault.

Groups like Islamic State of Iraq and Syria used SVBIEDs together with drones to help guide vehicles toward targets in real time. In Syria, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham adapted these vehicles from hidden bombs to heavily armoured ones, depending on terrain. In Somalia, Al-Shabaab uses large VBIEDs to cause mass casualties, while Boko Haram adopted armoured designs inspired by ISIS.

Some attacks use “double taps,” where a second blast targets rescuers, increasing fear and confusion.

Impact and Consequences

VBIEDs and SVBIEDs cause severe physical, economic, and psychological damage. Explosions create primary injuries from blast pressure, secondary injuries from flying shrapnel, and tertiary injuries when buildings or vehicles collapse. During the battle of Mosul, thousands of civilians were killed, and rebuilding the city has cost tens of billions of dollars.

Beyond physical harm, these attacks spread fear and weaken public confidence in security forces. People avoid markets, roads, and public spaces, disrupting normal life. Economically, damage to roads, bridges, power systems, and transport hubs causes long-term losses. In 2016 alone, global IED attacks—many involving vehicles—resulted in thousands of deaths and injuries worldwide.

Aftermath of a VBIED attack in Mogadishu:

Countermeasures and Prevention

In peaceful urban areas, stopping VBIED attacks depends more on prevention than force. Cities focus on security design that limits vehicle access, such as bollards, barriers, safe distances, and traffic-calming measures. Controlled entry points and smart traffic management help detect suspicious vehicles early. CCTV cameras and sensor systems improve awareness and allow faster responses.

Equally important is strong coordination between police, city authorities, emergency services, and private infrastructure operators. Sharing information quickly helps identify threats before an attack occurs. Public awareness also plays a key role, as alert citizens can report unusual behavior or vehicles. Together, urban design, intelligence sharing, and community vigilance form the main defense against VBIED threats in civilian environments.

Key Challenges in Preventing VBIEDs and SVBIEDs

Preventing VBIEDs and SVBIEDs is difficult because vehicles are part of everyday life. Cars and trucks move freely in cities, making it hard to identify a threat in time. Attackers exploit traffic jams, crowded markets, and checkpoints to blend in. For example, truck bombs in city centres often look like normal delivery vehicles until the attack occurs.

Another major problem is the low cost and ease of construction. Common vehicles and easily available materials are enough to build a VBIED. When security measures improve, attackers change tactics—using smaller cars, different routes, or new timings. This constant adaptation has been seen in conflict zones and major cities alike.

A third challenge is weak intelligence and coordination. Preventing attacks depends on timely information sharing between police, traffic authorities, and local agencies. Gaps in surveillance, slow response, or lack of public reporting allow threats to go unnoticed, as seen in several urban attacks worldwide.

Psychological Manipulation of the Suicide Bombers

The making of a suicide bomber is usually the result of systematic brainwashing rather than instant radicalization. Recruiters slowly influence vulnerable individuals by exploiting personal grievances such as humiliation, loss, injustice, or social isolation. Through repeated exposure to extreme ideology, selective narratives, and emotional pressure, violence is normalized and framed as a moral duty. The individual is cut off from alternative viewpoints and surrounded by reinforcing peer groups. Death is portrayed as honourable, meaningful, and necessary, while doubt is treated as weakness or betrayal. Over time, critical thinking is replaced by blind obedience. By the final stage, the bomber no longer sees themselves as an individual with a future, but as a weapon for a cause—showing that manipulation and control, not bravery, drive suicide attacks.

Perceived Injustice and Its Role in Radicalization

Perceived injustice committed by some major powers often becomes a powerful narrative tool in radicalization. Civilian casualties, prolonged military interventions, unfair international policies, economic sanctions, and support for unpopular regimes are repeatedly highlighted to create a sense of collective victimhood. These events are presented in simplified, emotional terms, stripping away context and complexity. Recruiters use such examples to frame global politics as a struggle between oppressors and the oppressed, leaving no space for peaceful solutions. For vulnerable individuals, this constant emphasis on injustice fuels anger, humiliation, and a desire for revenge. Over time, personal frustration merges with political grievance, making violent action appear justified, inevitable, and even morally necessary within the distorted worldview imposed during radicalization.

Conclusion

VBIEDs and SVBIEDs continue to pose a serious threat because they are easy to adapt and hard to prevent. Non-state groups can build them using common vehicles and accessible explosives. Over time, these weapons have evolved from simple car bombs to advanced systems used by groups like Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. They have played a major role in modern conflicts and terrorist attacks.

Although security forces have improved detection and protection methods, the basic idea remains difficult to defeat. As long as vehicles are part of everyday urban life and explosives can be obtained, these attacks will continue. The challenge is not only technical—it also tests intelligence gathering, effective governance, and the resilience of society as a whole.