Global Terrorism Index 2025 has launched
8 May 2025
By Amanda Tsioutis, Executive Manager Thought Leadership
The Institute for Economics & Peace has published its twelfth edition of the Global Terrorism Index (GTI), a comprehensive summary of the key global trends and patterns in terrorism over the past 10 years.
The report also provides an analysis of the top 10 countries most impacted by terrorism and in-depth contributions from experts. It brings together data on a range of terrorist groups, including affiliated chapters operating under the same organisational name.
Below are some of the key trends outlined in the GTI report.
1. Globally, Terrorism continues to be a significant challenge
Last year (2024) saw fewer deaths and attacks. However, this shift in numbers was offset by the ongoing spread of terrorism and the lingering impact of exceptional events in 2023. The report cites a large decrease in terrorist activity in Myanmar as driving this drop – with rebel group capabilities increasing and shifting towards warfare.
2. In the West, Attacks increased for the first time since 2017.
The report states that recent events have led to concerns about a resurgence in religiously motivated attacks in the West. While the predicted increase in terrorism was owing to conflict overseas, there has been a sharp increase in hate-crime and violence across the West.
3. The Sahel region in west Africa is the most affected region globally.
Weak governance, ethnic tensions and ecological degradation have fuelled terrorism, compounded by transnational terrorist growth and geopolitical competition.
4. Most active terrorist organisations continue to increase their activity
The report suggests that identifying the most active terrorist groups by the deaths and attacks they are responsible for is challenging. Many prominent organisations have affiliate groups or subdivisions that are still in partnership or partially commanded by a major group. Additionally, many times groups decline to take responsibility for the attacks they commit due to implications such as backlash or bad publicity.
5. Around 65% of attacks could not be tied to a specific group or ideology in 2024.
In the past few years there has been a rise in the percentage of attacks that cannot be attributed to any group at all. The report notes that part of this increase can be attributed to a lack of data about certain attacks. It may also reflect the rise of ideologically unclear or ambiguous attacks, reflecting a broader political and social uncertainty.
Blending of ideologies by lone-actor terrorists makes these actors unpredictable and harder to profile.
6. Cyber & Tech Enabled Terrorism
Expert contributors to the report argued that digital platforms are being exploited by terrorist organisations to overcome territorial limitations to expand international capabilities. Examples of these include targeted propaganda in local languages, establishing operational networks, remotely guiding operatives and demonstrated abilities to inspire and coordinate attacks globally.
The report also notes that drones are increasingly used by non-state actors and operators are turning to online forums for information on tactics. Open-source technology, unmanned systems like drones, and AI make up the trifecta of tactics that non-state actors are using.
7. Surge in Youth Radicalisation
A mix of political grievances, conspiracy theories and overlapping ideologies has fuelled an uptick of youth radicalisation in the West.
The risks posed by radicalised youth go far beyond immediate acts of violence. Engagement with violent extremism increases polarisation, undermines social cohesion, perpetuates cycles of violence and complicates efforts to counterterrorism and extremism, experts state.
To read more, download the Global Terrorism Index 2025 report.
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