Global Terrorism Index 2025

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Terrorism in 2024: Overview (Part 2)
Sub-Saharan Africa was the deadliest region for the eighth consecutive year, despite a five per cent decrease in deaths compared to 2023. Although deaths in Burkina Faso fell substantially in 2024, this was offset by Niger, which recorded the largest increase in deaths from terrorism globally. Most of the impact of terrorism in the region and globally is concentrated in the Sahel, contributing to over half of all terrorism deaths globally, and 19 per cent of attacks worldwide. 

The Sahel region hosts five of the ten countries most affected by terrorism, reflecting the persistent insecurity driven by extremist groups such as JNIM and IS. Despite ongoing counterterrorism efforts, the volatile security environment continues to challenge state authorities and international interventions, exacerbating humanitarian crises in countries like Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. 

Burkina Faso retained its position as the country most impacted by terrorism in 2024, recording the most deaths from terrorism for the third consecutive year. Despite experiencing a 21 per cent reduction in terrorism deaths and a 57 per cent drop in attacks, it had 1,532 total deaths. Terrorism in Burkina Faso has become significantly more lethal, with an average of almost 14 deaths per attack in 2024, compared to just over seven per attack in 2023. A fifth of all deaths recorded globally occurred within its borders, highlighting the severity of the country’s security crisis. 

Burkina Faso's challenges are tied to the Sahel’s instability, with extremist groups exploiting weak governance, porous borders, and local grievances, to sustain their operations. The country’s ongoing counterterrorism efforts, supported by regional initiatives like the Alliance of Sahel States, offer a measure of optimism. As evidenced by Niger, however, deaths can reduce sharply, only to rapidly increase in subsequent years. For example, from 2021 to 2022 in Niger, the number of deaths fell from 595 to 198, but over the next two years the number of deaths rose dramatically, reaching 930 in 2024, the highest number ever recorded in the country. 
For the second consecutive year, Afghanistan was not among the five countries most impacted by terrorism, marking its best ranking since the Index’s inception. This shift is attributed to the exclusion of Taliban activities from the Index, following the group’s ascendance to government in 2021. Similarly, Myanmar saw a significant decline in terror deaths, recording a 93 per cent decrease, marking the first time since 2020 that it was not among the ten most-impacted countries. 

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