Sub-Saharan Africa most impacted by terrorism – report

Sub-Saharan Africa was the deadliest region for the eighth consecutive year in terms of terrorism, reports TimesLIVE. The newly released Global Terrorism Index 2025 notes that several African countries have been badly impacted. The Index, compiled by the Institute for Economics & Peace, found most of the impact of terrorism in the region and globally is concentrated in the Sahel region, contributing to over half of all terrorism deaths globally and 19% of attacks worldwide. The Sahel region refers to Senegal, Gambia, Mauritania, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Nigeria. ‘The Sahel region hosts five of the 10 countries most affected by terrorism, reflecting the persistent insecurity driven by extremist groups such as Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin and Islamic State. Despite ongoing counterterrorism efforts, the volatile security environment continues to challenge state authorities and international interventions, exacerbating humanitarian crises in countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger,’ it said. Burkina Faso retained its position as the country most affected by terrorism in 2024, recording the most deaths for the third consecutive year. ‘In 2024, the country recorded the largest increase in terrorism deaths globally, rising by 94% to a total of 930, reversing previous improvements from 2022 when it had the second largest improvement.’ The report said competition over the region's mineral resources also contributed to ongoing instability. ‘Gold is a major flashpoint in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. Niger supplies more than 25% of European uranium. Russian presence has grown significantly in the region while France is withdrawing. Niger illustrates the fragility of progress in the region. After achieving the second-largest improvement in 2022, it experienced a reversal in the past two years, recording a 94% increase in terrorism deaths to 930 fatalities in 2024, the largest surge globally.’

Full TimesLIVE report