Global Terrorism Index 2025

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Ten Countries Most Impacted by Terrorism: (5) Niger
Terrorism in Niger reached unprecedented levels in 2024, continuing the sharp rise in activity seen in 2023. The number of terrorist attacks rose to 101 in 2024, up from 62 the previous year, while deaths nearly doubled, with 930 recorded in 2024 compared to 479 in 2023. Civilian deaths in Niger increased almost threefold in 2024, while military deaths rose to 499, from 340 in the previous year, accounting for more than half of all deaths in the country. Niger now holds the highest military death toll from terrorism of any country in 2024. 

Niger’s deadliest attack of 2024 occurred when over 300 gunmen killed 237 soldiers in an attack in the Tahoua region, near the Malian border. No group has claimed responsibility at the time of writing, but jihadists operate in the area. This attack was also the deadliest globally in 2024. 

The Tillabéri region remained the area with the highest level of terrorism. This region is in the unstable tri-border area shared with Burkina Faso and Mali and has been severely impacted by the Islamic insurgency in the Central Sahel. Terrorist attacks occurred in all eight of Niger’s regions, with Tillabéri recording 63 per cent of the country’s terrorist attacks and 67 per cent of fatalities. This has spread into neighbouring regions such as Tahoua, with deaths there increasing over fivefold since 2023. 

JNIM activity in Niger saw a substantial increase in 2024, with the group claiming responsibility for 13 attacks that caused 109 deaths, representing an almost fourteenfold increase in fatalities and marking the highest number of deaths and attacks by JNIM in the country to date. IS also remained active, though attacks remained steady from the previous years and deaths attributed to the group halved to 108. However, the full extent of activity by these groups remains unclear, as 75 per cent of deaths and 66 per cent of attacks in 2024 were not claimed by any terrorist group. 

The political and security upheaval following the July 2023 coup has created an environment ripe for exploitation by Islamic militant groups. Niger’s shift toward partnerships with Russia, accompanied by a decline in collaboration with Western allies, has contributed to a sharp rise in terrorist attacks and fatalities. Russian military instructors arrived in April 2024 to replace departing Western forces, but their efforts have been hindered by limited experience in the Sahel and a focus on supporting the ruling junta. The US withdrawal in August 2024 further exacerbated the security vacuum, raising concerns about militant groups expanding their influence. The disruption of existing counterterrorism operations, combined with severed ties to Western powers like the US and France, has provided groups such as JNIM and IS with opportunities to escalate their activities in the region. 

​Global Terrorism Index 2025. Institute for Economics & Peace. Sydney, Australia.