New Delhi: The 2026 Global Terrorism Index (GTI) reports a sharp 28% decline in global terrorism deaths in 2025, but warns that rising instability in South Asia, the Sahel, and the West could reverse these gains.
According to the report, global terror fatalities dropped from 7,714 in 2024 to 5,582 in 2025, while total attacks fell nearly 22% to 2,944. Despite this improvement, Pakistan emerged as the most terrorism-affected country, recording 1,139 deaths and 1,045 incidents — its worst figures in over a decade.
The surge in Pakistan has been linked to the return of the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2021, which reshaped regional security dynamics. Groups like Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) intensified operations, with attacks rising 24% in 2025 to 595 incidents and 637 deaths. The Balochistan Liberation Army also contributed to the toll, notably through a major train hijacking near Quetta.
The report notes escalating regional tensions, including worsening India-Pakistan relations and Pakistan’s ongoing conflict with Afghanistan following cross-border strikes in early 2026, warning that such developments could fuel further instability and militant activity.
India, ranked 13th globally with a GTI score of 6.428, recorded a 43% drop in terror attacks in 2025, continuing a decade-long improvement trend. Within South Asia — the region most affected by terrorism — India’s performance contrasted with Pakistan and Afghanistan, which ranked higher despite some decline in incidents.
Globally, 81 countries improved their GTI scores, the highest since 2021, while only 19 recorded deterioration. The year also saw fewer high-casualty attacks, with the deadliest incident claiming 120 lives in Burkina Faso.
Sub-Saharan Africa remained the epicentre of terrorism, accounting for over half of global deaths and hosting six of the ten worst-affected countries. While Burkina Faso recorded a 45% drop in fatalities, the lethality per attack increased, indicating a shift towards fewer but more intense strikes. Nigeria, meanwhile, saw a 46% rise in deaths due to renewed activity by Islamic State West Africa Province.
In the Middle East and North Africa, terrorism continued its long-term decline, with deaths falling 81% in a year. Countries like Iraq, Libya, and Lebanon recorded historically low or zero fatalities.
Western nations, however, witnessed a 280% rise in terrorism-related deaths, driven largely by lone-actor attacks. The United States, United Kingdom, and Australia reported several high-impact incidents, reflecting a growing trend of politically motivated violence.
The report highlights increasing concern over youth radicalisation, noting that children and adolescents accounted for 42% of terror-related investigations in Europe and North America in 2025. Rapid online radicalisation and encrypted communication platforms have accelerated recruitment timelines.
Despite improved global metrics, the report cautions that emerging threats — including renewed Islamic State activity, mass escapes from detention facilities, geopolitical conflicts, and expanding militant influence in Africa — could undermine progress.
It concludes that the decline in terrorism in 2025 may represent only a temporary reprieve rather than a sustained trend, as evolving conflicts and extremist strategies continue to reshape the global threat landscape. (Agencies)
