2024 Global Terrorism Index Released

The 2024 Global Terrorism Index has finally been released, giving in depth analysis on terrorism and its trends from 2023. You can access the full report here, but I am going to summarize some key points below much like last year.

Key Trends

• Deaths from terrorism rose to 8,352 in 2023, a 22 percent increase from the 6,701 deaths in 2022.
• The number of terrorist attacks decreased to 3,350 in 2023, a 23 percent decrease from the 4,321 attacks in 2022.
• Burkina Faso became the country with the highest impact from terrorism for the first time, with deaths from terrorism increasing by 68 percent to 1,907. A quarter of all terrorism deaths occurring globally were in Burkina Faso.
• The Sahel is the most affected region in the world, accounting for almost half of all deaths from terrorism and 26 percent of attacks globally in 2023.
• The Islamic State and its affiliates remained the world’s deadliest terrorist group in 2023, despite deaths from attacks declining by 17 percent from 1,963 to 1,636.
• Terrorism against the West has decreased 55 percent since 2022 with only 23 recorded attacks, marking the lowest level since 2017.
• Only 50 countries reported at least one terror attack in 2023, down from 60 in 2022.
• Deaths caused by terrorism in Afghanistan down 81 percent since 2022.

Deadliest Terror Groups

1. Islamic State (ISIS) and its affiliated groups
   • 1,636 attributed deaths (down 17 percent from 2022)
2. Hamas
   • 1,200 attributed deaths (up 119,900 percent from 2022)
3. Jamaat Nusrat Al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM)
   • 1,099 attributed deaths (up 293 percent from 2022)
4. Al-Shabaab
   • 499 attributed deaths (down 36 percent from 2022)

Note: These groups account for over 75 percent of attacks deaths in 2023.

Deadliest Attacks

1. (10/7/2023) Hamas-led attacks against Israel left 1,200 dead.
2. (11/16/2023) JNIM attack against Nigerien military convoys in the Tillaberi region kill at least 200 soldiers and wound dozens more.
3. (10/5/2023) Unknown explosive drone attack against a military academy graduation in Homs, Syria, kills at least 89 people and wounds 240 others.
4. Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) suicide bombing at a mosque inside a police compound in Peshawar, Pakistan, kills 84 and wounds 200 others.
5. (2/17/2023) Islamic State gunmen kill at least 71 Burkinabe soldiers during an ambush in the Oudalan province.
6. (2/26/2023) Suspected JNIM gunmen kill 70 civilians during an attack against the town of Partiaga, Burkina Faso.
7. (11/5/2023) Unknown gunmen kill 70 civilians during an attack against the town of Zaongo, Burkina Faso.
8. (3/1/2023) At least 60 Islamic State militants killed in clashes with JNIM in Mali’s Gao region.
9. (8/19/2023) At least 60 Boko Haram militants killed in clashes with Islamic State West Africa (ISWA) militants.
10. (12/24/2023) JNIM militants kill at least 60 Burkinabe soldier during an attack against a barracks in Souli.

Top Countries Impacted by Terrorism

1. Burkina Faso
2. Israel
   • Note: Deaths from terrorism increased from 24 in 2022 to 1,200 in 2023 from the October 7 attacks, marking a 4,900 percent increase.
3. Mali
4. Pakistan
5. Syria
6. Afghanistan
7. Somalia
8. Nigeria
9. Myanmar
10. Niger

Deaths Rose While Attacks Decreased in 2023

Deaths from terrorism rose to 8,352 in 2023, a 22 percent increase from the prior year, marking the highest level since 2017. The increase in deaths has largely been attributed to the October 7 attacks against Israel and increased militant activity in Burkina Faso.

Excluding the October 7 attacks, deaths from terrorism would have still increased 4.8 percent from 2022.

The number of terrorist attacks decreased to 3,350 in 2023, a reduction of 23 percent from the 4,321 attacks in 2022.

Sahel Remains the Epicenter for Terrorism

The Sahel is the most affected region in the world, accounting for almost half of all deaths from terrorism and a quarter of attacks globally. Burkina Faso has become the most impacted country with increased activity by militants from the Islamic State and JNIM, which has been exacerbated by a fragile security and political situation following the coup in 2022. Excluding Israel, Burkina Faso saw the largest increase in deaths due to terrorism over the past year.