The Institute for Economics and Peace has released the twelfth edition of the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) for 2025, an annual report published since 2012. The index is based on data from the Dragonfly Terrorism Tracker and several other sources, offering a comprehensive summary of key global trends and patterns in terrorism. It also examines crucial factors contributing to the phenomenon, including socio-economic and political conditions, and the evolving nature of terrorism over time. Additionally, the report delves into the geopolitical motivations and ideological objectives driving terrorist organizations, as well as the strategies they employ in carrying out attacks.
In this multi-part analysis, we provide an in-depth review of the latest edition of the GTI, published on March 5, 2025. The analysis comes in four parts, covering the overall toll of terrorist attacks and fatalities, key trends and patterns of terrorist activity in 2024, and a detailed assessment of terrorism across 163 countries included in the study.
Key Terrorism Trends in 2024
The GTI highlights the major characteristics of terrorist activity in 2024 and the varying impacts of terrorism across different regions, as follows:
- The Expanding Geography of Terrorism: While 2024 saw a 3% decrease in the number of terrorist attacks—dropping to 3,492 incidents—and a 13% decline in related fatalities, totaling 7,555 deaths, terrorism spread to a greater number of countries compared to 2023. The number of countries experiencing terrorist attacks rose from 58 to 66. For the first time since 2018, more countries worsened than improved in terms of terrorist activity in 2024, with 45 reporting a higher impact from terrorism, compared to only 34 showing improvement. Furthermore, fatalities caused by attacks from the four deadliest terrorist organizations worldwide—Daesh, Jama’a Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and al-Shabaab—increased by 11% to reach 4,204 deaths, with these groups also expanding their operations in their respective areas of activity.
- Rising Terror Threats in the West: For the first time since 2017, terrorist attacks in Western countries increased, with 52 incidents recorded in 2024, up from 32 in 2023. While most of these attacks were carried out by unidentified groups, an analysis of targeted entities suggests that 31% of terrorist incidents in Western countrieslast year were motivated by anti-Israel sentiments. Notably, six countries—Sweden, Australia, Finland, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Switzerland—experienced terrorist attacks in 2024 despite recording none over the previous five years, reinforcing the observation that terrorism has expanded to new geographical areas.
- Escalating Terrorist Threats in the Sahel: For the eighth consecutive year, Sub-Saharan Africa remained the deadliest region for terrorism. The bulk of terrorist activity continues to be concentrated in the Sahel, which accounted for over 19% of all global terrorist attacks and more than half of all terrorism-related fatalities in 2024. Five of the ten most terrorism-affected countries last year were in this region, underscoring the persistent insecurity plaguing the Sahel—particularly in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—due to the activities of Daesh affiliates and al-Qaeda-linked JNIM.
The World’s Deadliest Terrorist Organizations
The GTI highlights two major challenges in identifying the most active terrorist organizations responsible for the highest number of fatalities. First, many terrorist organizations operate through regional affiliates that either collaborate or partially function under the same leadership. Second, some groups frequently refrain from claiming responsibility for attacks, making it difficult to attribute incidents to a specific organization—particularly in conflict zones. Large-scale attacks in war-torn environments, as well as minor incidents with few casualties, often remain unattributed. This can be explained by certain groups’ reluctance to claim responsibility for failed operations or highly lethal attacks that could provoke severe government crackdowns and alienate local populations, ultimately hindering recruitment efforts and fueling counterinsurgency measures against them.
According to the GTI, the four deadliest terrorist organizations in 2024 were Daesh (also known in the West as the Islamic State), Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and al-Shabaab. Collectively, these groups were responsible for 4,204 deaths, accounting for 80% of all fatalities attributed to a specific terrorist group—compared to less than 40% a decade ago in 2014. This shift underscores significant global changes in terrorist activity over the past ten years. Below is a closer look at the most lethal organizations in 2024.
1. Daesh: Daesh remained the world’s deadliest terrorist organization in 2024, carrying out 559 attacks—an increase from 525 in 2023—despite a 10% decline in related fatalities. According to the index, Daesh-claimed attacks represented approximately 16% of all terrorist incidents worldwide last year. However, the actual number of Daesh-related attacks is likely much higher, as a significant portion of unclaimed attacks occurred in areas where its affiliates are active.
The group’s operations in 2024 spanned Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Russia and Eurasia, and South Asia. Syria was the most heavily impacted country for the second consecutive year, recording 369 Daesh attacks, from 250 attacks in 2023. The country also saw the highest number of Daesh-related fatalities for the third year running, with 708 deaths in 2024, a third more than the 534 recorded the previous year. The index attributes this surge to the power vacuum created by the removal of Bashar al-Assad’s regime by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which allowed Daesh to regain a foothold in Syria after years of decline.
While Daesh activity remained steady in most regions, attacks significantly decreased in Nigeria and Iraq, dropping by 75% and 56%, respectively. The group also became slightly less deadly overall, with its average fatalities per attack decreasing from 3.8 in 2023 to 3.2 in 2024. The deadliest Daesh attack of the year was the Crocus City Hall attack in March, which left at least 144 people dead and more than 551 injured.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, Daesh activity dropped considerably in 2024, with fatalities declining by 44%—from 1,185 deaths in 2023 to 664 in 2024. The number of attacks followed the same trend, falling by nearly a third from 148 in 2023 to 100 in 2024. Despite maintaining a presence in several regions—including Europe, South Asia, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East and North Africa—Daesh attacks and fatalities in these areas remained consistent with 2023 levels. However, escalating tensions in Syria and the broader Middle East could fuel increased Daesh activity in the near future.
Tactically, Daesh has continued to rely primarily on armed assaults for the sixth consecutive year, followed by suicide bombings. In 2024, the group carried out 397 armed attacks, resulting in 1,309 deaths—down from 1,605 in 2023. The military remained Daesh’s most frequent target, with half of its attacks in 2024 directed at military entities. However, civilian casualties accounted for a growing proportion, making up more than a third of all Daesh-related deaths.
2. Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM): JNIM was the second deadliest terrorist group in 2024, responsible for 1,454 deaths across 146 attacks. However, the actual impact of the group is likely much higher due to the significant number of unclaimed attacks in its area of operation. The group’s death toll reached its highest level since its emergence in 2017, marking a 46% increase from 2023. Similarly, the number of attacks rose by more than a quarter, with the lethality rate of JNIM’s operations reaching an all-time high—averaging 10 fatalities per attack in 2024.
Of the 1,454 deaths attributed to JNIM, 67% occurred in Burkina Faso, while another 22% were recorded in Mali. Niger also witnessed a sharp rise in JNIM attacks, with 13 attacks in 2024 compared to just two in 2023. According to the index, JNIM has continued its efforts to expand beyond the Sahel, carrying out three attacks in Benin and four in Togo, resulting in 41 deaths—the highest recorded death toll from JNIM attacks in these countries. The group’s deadliest attack in 2024 was an armed assault targeting military-affiliated self-defense militias in Burkina Faso, which left at least 200 people dead and 600 others wounded.
At the tactical level, armed assaults remained JNIM’s most lethal method of attack, accounting for 98% of the group’s fatalities and 82% of all incidents attributed to it in 2024. Nearly half of JNIM’s attacks targeted military forces, yet civilian casualties were the highest, making up more than half of all deaths caused by the group.
3. Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP): TTP was the third deadliest terrorist group in 2024, responsible for 558 deaths across 482 attacks. The group experienced a major resurgence after a period of operational decline between 2017 and 2021. Its attacks more than doubled in 2024, with a 90% increase in fatalities—its highest level of activity since 2011.
According to the index, TTP’s operations remained largely confined to Pakistan’s northern border with Afghanistan, where 96% of its attacks took place in 2024, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province—likely due to its proximity to the Afghan capital, Kabul. The group’s operations in this provincedoubled, rising from 182 attacks and 265 fatalities in 2023 to 462 attacks and 545 fatalities in 2024. TTP’s deadliest attack last year targeted a Pakistani military outpost, resulting in the deaths of 16 soldiers. The group claimed responsibility, stating that the attack was carried out in retaliation for the killing of its senior leaders.
In terms of tactics, armed assaults remained TTP’s primary method of attack, accounting for nearly two-thirds of its operations and 72% of its fatalities in 2024. The most frequently targeted groups were police and military personnel, making up 51% and 16% of the group’s attacks, respectively, followed by civilians.
4. Al-Shabaab: Terror-related fatalities linked to al-Shabaab declined by 25% in 2024, dropping from 512 in 2023 to 387. The total number of attacks also fell by more than a third, with the group recording 156 attacks—the lowest figure since 2014. This decrease was largely attributed to successful counterterrorism operations led by the Somali government and allied forces. Of the 387 fatalities attributed to al-Shabaab, 91% occurred in Somalia, while the remaining 9% were recorded in Kenya—particularly in the Mandera region along the Somali border, which saw eight attacks resulting in 23 deaths.
Tactically, al-Shabaab primarily relied on bombings and armed assaults. Suicide bombings accounted for over half of the group’s fatalities, while armed assaults were responsible for a third of the deaths. Military targets made up 40% of the attacks, while 28% were directed at civilians.
This analysis is part of a multi-part review of the 2025 Global Terrorism Index, with further insights to follow.
