World: Global Terrorism Index 2026

Country: World Source: Institute for Economics and Peace Please refer to the attached files. Executive Summary This is the 13th edition of the Global Terrorism Index (GTI), which provides a comprehensive summary of the key global trends and patterns in terrorism over the last two decades. This year’s Index recorded a substantial fall in terrorism worldwide. Deaths from terrorism fell 28 per cent to 5,582, while the number of attacks declined by nearly 22 per cent to 2,944. The improvement was widespread, with 81 countries recording improvements. Only 19 countries deteriorated, the lowest number of deteriorations in the Index’s history. However, there was a significant increase in terrorism in Western countries, which accounted for seven of the 19 deteriorations. Whether the improvements recorded in 2025 will be sustained remains uncertain. Given the current state of emerging global conflicts, a rise in terrorism is likely. Islamic State (IS) and its affiliates remained the deadliest terrorist organisation in 2025, although the group was active in fewer countries, dropping from 22 to 15. The four deadliest terrorist organisations in 2025 were IS, Jamaat Nusrat Al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM), Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and al-Shabaab. They were collectively responsible for 3,869 deaths, or 70 per cent of all terrorism fatalities. Three of the four groups recorded a decrease in deaths, with TTP being the only one to record an increase. Terrorism remains highly concentrated. Just under 70 per cent of deaths from terrorism occurred in only five countries: Pakistan, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Niger, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Six of the ten countries most impacted by terrorism are in sub-Saharan Africa, now the global epicentre of terrorism. For the first time, Pakistan recorded the highest score on the Index and is the country most impacted by terrorism. This follows a sharp resurgence in terrorist activity driven in part by the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Pakistan’s strained relations with its neighbours, combined with rising violence from TTP and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), have created significant security risks. Deaths from terrorism in Pakistan are now at their highest level since 2013, with the country recording 1,139 terrorism deaths and 1,045 incidents in 2025. Nigeria recorded the largest increase in 2025, with fatalities rising by 46 per cent to 750. Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram were responsible for 80 per cent of all terrorism deaths in the country. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) also recorded a significant increase in terrorism, reaching its worst ever position on the Index. Deaths in the DRC rose by nearly 28 per cent to 467, driven by attacks carried out by the IS-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which targeted civilians, churches, hospitals, and funerals. Colombia fell into the ten most impacted countries for the first time since 2013. Terrorism deaths in Colombia increased by 70 per cent, and attacks rose by nearly 47 per cent, driven primarily by dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN). Both groups have adopted drone warfare, drawing direct inspiration from the battlefield innovations seen in Ukraine, with 77 drone attacks recorded between 2024 and 2025. Deaths in sub-Saharan Africa fell in ten countries while rising in just four. Deaths in the Sahel region accounted for more than half of all terrorism-related deaths globally. Five countries in the Sahel recorded falls in both the number of deaths and incidents from the year previous. Nigeria is the only country in the region to experience an increase in both categories. Burkina Faso, the most impacted country in 2023 and 2024, recorded the largest decrease in deaths globally, with fatalities falling by 686, or 45 per cent. Despite this decline, lethality increased, reflecting a pattern of fewer but deadlier attacks. The main driver of the decline was a steep reduction in civilian casualties, which fell by 84 per cent. The year was marked by the absence globally of large-scale attacks. The deadliest attack killed 120 people, compared to 237 in 2024 and over 1,100 in 2023. It was also the only attack in 2025 that killed more than 100 people, compared to five attacks of that magnitude in the prior year. Average lethality also decreased, from 2.1 to 1.8 deaths per attack. Islamic State continues to function as a loosely affiliated global network. In 2025, it was active in 15 countries across six regions. Despite a 15 per cent fall in the number of attacks attributed to the group, IS was responsible for just under 17 per cent of all attacks worldwide. A notable shift occurred in the group’s regional focus: attacks in sub-Saharan Africa almost doubled in the past year, rising from 111 to 221 incidents, while attacks in the Middle East and North Africa fell by 39 per cent. Syri

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