Insurgents often deliberately target public sites for strategic reasons. Assuming that many, if not most are done with the intent to generate a psychological impact beyond the immediate victim, this often puts these kinds of attacks in the realm of terrorism. To be specific, attacking public sites allows insurgents to instill fear and disrupt societal order, ultimately undermining the public’s confidence in government institutions. Targeting public sites serves as a means for insurgents to challenge the legitimacy of the state, demonstrating their ability to operate with impunity and undermine the government’s authority. Public spaces such as markets, transportation hubs, prestigious hotels, popular restaurants and government buildings are often crowded and well known, making them attractive targets for inflicting mass casualties and generating widespread publicity. Symbolically, attacking public sites associated with the adversary’s political, ideological or cultural identity can also convey messages of defiance, resistance, and ideological supremacy to both domestic and international audiences. By striking at the heart of civilian life, insurgents seek to destabilize communities, sow discord, and erode public trust in the ability of authorities to provide security and maintain order. Terrorism is “the use of violence or the threat of violence with the primary purpose of generating an effect beyond the immediate victims or objective, with a political motive” (Richards, 2014). Typically, deliberately targeting public sites is associated with the later part of phase 1 in Mao’s model, after the organizational structure in an area of operations has been established.