International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism

Acts of terrorism, driven by hateful ideologies, continue to injure, harm and kill thousands of innocent people each year. Thursday; August 21st is the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism — a time to stand in solidarity with victims and survivors, amplify their voices and raise awareness of the impact of terrorism. Marking the day, United Nations Secretary-General ; Mr.  Antonio Guterres stressed the importance of upholding victims’ rights, delivering justice and standing by them at every step of their healing journey. “United by hope, we can build a future free from terrorism, where all people live in dignity and without fear,” he affirmed.

Since 2015, Islamic State (IS) and its affiliates have remained the world's deadliest terrorist group. The total number of IS attacks rose globally until 2022, but the number and overall intensity of attacks have declined in recent years, leading to a slight reduction in fatalities. While some chapters have declined, others, such as Khorasan chapter, have increased their activities substantially. IS has continued to expand its presence in the Middle East, Central Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. IS is no longer as centrally organised as it was at its peak in 2015, when it controlled territory in Iraq and Syria roughly the size of France. The destruction of its so-called caliphate by 2019 led to decentralisation and a shift towards low-cost, highimpact attacks. These tactics have allowed IS to sustain its operations despite military and territorial losses, demonstrating its adaptability. Today, IS operates through regional affiliates, each pursuing distinct goals tailored to local conte...

  The Sahel region of sub-Saharan Africa continues to suffer from the effects of increased political instability, amplified geopolitical tensions, and t he use of hard counterterrorism measures to deter and destroy the threat from Salafi-jihadi groups . While sub-Saharan Africa recorded a five per cent decline in terrorism deaths in 2024 to 909 from the prior year, the Sahel has seen the steepest increases in terrorism deaths globally, with nearly 20,000 deaths since 2019 and 3,885 deaths in 2024. The Sahel region faces many converging and complex social, economic, political and security challenges. These are likely to continue to undermine the development of the conditions necessary for stability, trapping the Sahel in a cycle of violence and vulnerability. The region has seen large changes in its conflict dynamics with an array of armed state and non-state actors waging war, controlling large swathes of territory and using resource extraction and illicit economies to advance the...