Global Terrorism Index 2025

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Ten Countries Most Impacted by Terrorism: (1) Burkina Faso
In 2024, Burkina Faso held its place as the country most impacted by terrorism for the second consecutive year. Despite this, deaths fell by a fifth, declining from 1,935 in 2023 to 1,532 in 2024. Terror attacks mirrored this trend, with attacks falling by 57 per cent from 260 in 2023 to 111 in 2024. This is the third consecutive year that over a thousand people were killed in terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso. 

Northern and central-eastern Burkina Faso, near the country’s borders with Mali and Niger, experienced the most terror attacks, accounting for over two-thirds of all attacks in 2024. Of the country’s 1,532 deaths in 2024, 682 occurred along the Niger border in Centre-Nord and Est, with the former region recording the highest death toll of the country’s 11 regions. Centre-Nord was the location of Burkina Faso’s deadliest attack of 2024, when JNIM militants launched a large-scale assault targeting both soldiers and civilians. The victims were engaged in digging defensive trenches for the army and the Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland (VDP), a civilian armed group supporting Burkina Faso’s military efforts. Reports estimate the death toll to be between 200 and 600 deaths, with hundreds more injured. 

JNIM continues to be the most prominent terrorist group in Burkina Faso, claiming almost half of the country’s attacks in 2024. JNIM activity has increased in the last year, with both attacks and deaths increasing by over half. After a recent increase in activity, IS operations in Burkina Faso declined in 2024, with the group claiming responsibility for only one attack, compared to eight in the previous year. The number of deaths from terrorism also fell by 91 per cent, from 175 in 2023 to 15 in 2024. However, it is likely that the actual number of deaths attributable to both JNIM and IS are significantly higher, as 55 per cent of attacks and 35 per cent of deaths in the country were attributed to unknown jihadist groups. 

​Despite Burkina Faso’s improvements, its ranking in the 2025 GTI highlights the significant and ongoing threat of terrorism in the country. The Alliance of Sahel States, formed by Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, represents a regional effort to combat terrorism following the withdrawal of French and United Nations troops. Despite these efforts, the security situation remains fragile, with reports of human rights abuses by both insurgents and government forces. The military junta, led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, has extended its rule until 2029, delaying elections and drawing criticism from international observers concerned that prolonged undemocratic governance could exacerbate instability and provide opportunities for terrorist groups. While the government has taken steps such as freezing the assets of individuals accused of financing terrorism, and prioritising counterterrorism efforts, it is unclear whether the recent decline in terrorism deaths signals lasting progress or a temporary fluctuation. 
 
Global Terrorism Index 2025. Institute for Economics & Peace. Sydney, Australia.