Sahel still epicentre of world terrorism: report

ABIDJAN: The Sahel region was the epicentre of global “terrorism” for the second straight year in 2024, accounting for more than half of deaths put down to terror attacks worldwide, according to the Global Terrorism Index published Wednesday.

Out of a global tally of 7,555 terror-related deaths last year, the Sahel region saw 3,885, or a 51-percent share, the index, compiled by the Institute for Economics and Peace think tank, said.

Using indicators such as the number of attacks, deaths, wounded and hostages taken, the index ranks 163 countries each year based on how they are affected by “terrorism”.

Five of the 10 most impacted countries last year were in the Sahel region, a semi-arid belt stretching along the Sahara desert´s southern rim from the Atlantic to the Red Sea.

Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have consistently been among the most affected since 2017. All three have been battling jihadist violence that erupted in northern Mali in 2012 and spread to Niger and Burkina Faso in 2015.

The findings indicate that the epicentre of terrorism has seen a pronounced “geographic shift” away from the Middle East and towards the Sahel since 2023, the study said. Burkina Faso remained the worst hit country in the world for the second consecutive year, even though the number of deaths fell to 1,532 from 1,935 the previous year.

Mali saw 604 deaths last year. Niger suffered proportionally “the largest increase in terrorism deaths globally”, the index said, reporting a 94-percent spike to 930 deaths last year in one of the world´s largest uranium producers.

Two jihadist groups were mostly behind attacks in the Sahel: the Islamic State group and its affiliates and the Al Qaeda-linked Group to Support Islam and Muslims (JNIM).

Other organisations such as the international conflict monitor ACLED put the death toll higher from jihadist violence in the Sahel.

Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso are ruled by military juntas who seized power in coups between 2020 and 2023.