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.

  The four terrorist groups responsible for the most deaths in 2024 were Islamic State (IS), Jamaat Nusrat Al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM), Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and al-Shabaab. Their combined influence continues to increase, with deaths attributed to these groups increasing by 11 per cent to 4,204 deaths. Islamic State (IS) and its affiliates remained the world’s deadliest terrorist group in 2024 , and is active in 23 countries, one more than in 2023. Deaths attributed to the group and its affiliates declined by ten per cent, from 1,996 to 1,805 deaths. Of the major terrorist organisations, TTP was responsible for the largest increase in deaths, which rose by 90 per cent to 558 deaths.

   Number of countries with a recorded terrorist incident increased from 58 to 66 countries in 2024.  Deaths from terrorism fell to 7,555 in 2024, a 13 per cent reduction from the prior year. The fall follows the surge in deaths in 2023, driven by Hamas’ October 7 attack in Israel. The number of terrorist attacks fell by three per cent in 2024, to 3,492 total attacks. This was driven by an 85 per cent decrease in terrorist activity in Myanmar. Without the reduction in Myanmar, attacks would have increased by eight per cent. The Sahel is the most affected region globally , accounting for over half of all deaths from terrorism, and 19 per cent of attacks globally, in 2024. Five of the ten countries most impacted by terrorism are in the Sahel region. Burkina Faso remains the country most impacted by terrorism this year, despite attacks and deaths falling by 57 and 21 per cent respectively. A fifth of all terrorism deaths globally were in Burkina Faso, followed by Pakis...

  Measuring the impacts of terrorism.

  Terrorism remains a persistent global threat, with 2024 marking another year of shifting patterns and evolving challenges with the geographic reach of terrorism spreading. The number of countries experiencing at least one terrorist incident increased from 58 to 66, the most countries affected since 2018. In 2024, more countries deteriorated than improved for the first time in seven years, with 45 countries reporting a higher impact from terrorism, while only 34 showed improvement. Islamic State (IS) and its affiliates remained the deadliest terrorist organisation in 2024, responsible for 1,805 deaths across 22 countries. The four major terrorist organisations, IS, Jamaat Nusrat Al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM), Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and al-Shabaab continued to increase their activity, with deaths attributed to these groups increasing by 11 per cent to 4,204. In 2023, these groups were active in 29 countries which increased to 30 countries in 2024. In 2024, 36 per cent of ...