The rate of terror-related deaths around the world has fallen for the third consecutive year in a row.
Deaths from terrorism fell 27% in 2017 to 18,814.
It means that the number of terror-related deaths has fallen by 44% since 2014 – when it hit a peak of 34,000.
The figures were published in the 2018 Global Terrorism Index – an annual report on the key global trends and patterns in terrorism published by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP).
The report notes that the rate of terror-related death has fallen in 94 countries around the world – the highest number since 2004.
It finds that the global economic impact of terrorism has also fallen sharply – dropping 42% to $52bn (€45.8bn.)
The number of deaths in Europe fell by 75% - with “significant improvements in France, Belgium and Germany;” however there was a significant rise in Spain.
IEP Executive Chairman Steve Killelea said there are a “number of reasons” the situation in Europe has improved.
“ISIL has lost much of its attractiveness due to its military defeats and weakened capabilities to mount attacks in Europe,” he said.
“Increases in counter-terrorism funding, combined with better surveillance techniques, have also contributed to the steep reduction of deaths in Europe from terrorism.
“However, interestingly, although deaths from terrorism in Europe have decreased, the number of terrorist incidents increased in this period.
“This highlights that ISIL is losing its ability to plan and coordinate larger scale terrorist attacks, as a result of lessened capabilities and increased counterterrorism measures.”
The report warns that the threat of far-right political terrorism is on the rise in North America and Western Europe.
A total of 17 people were killed in attacks carried by far-right groups and individuals in 2017 – compared to none in 2013.
Some 66 people were killed in far-right terror attacks between 2013 and 2017.
The report says the majority of attacks were “carried out by lone actors with far-right, white nationalist or anti-Muslim beliefs.”
This year’s Global Terrorism Index shows a continuing trend of a decline in terrorism, with deaths from terrorism falling for the third consecutive year, after peaking in 2014.
Read the newsletter: https://t.co/J8BaoIbTQR pic.twitter.com/kTY4NhAAsw
— Global Peace Index (@GlobPeaceIndex) December 5, 2018
Five countries around the world recorded more than 1,000 terror-related deaths last year - Afghanistan, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia and Syria.
Somalia and Egypt have seen the biggest increases – with deaths from terrorism up 93% between 2016 and 2017.
One attack in Somalia killed 587 people while another in Egypt killed 311 people.
“IEP's research finds that conflict and state terror are the principal causes of terrorism - of the 10 countries most impacted by terrorism, all were involved in at least one violent conflict and eight were involved in a major war with at least 1,000 battle deaths,” said Mr Killelea.
“These ten countries accounted for 84 per cent of all deaths from terrorism in 2017.
“When combined with countries with high levels of political terror, the number jumps to over 99 per cent. Political terror involves extra-judicial killings, torture and imprisonment without trial.”
These are the 5 countries most impacted by terrorism
🇮🇶1. Iraq
🇦🇫 2. Afghanistan
🇳🇬 3. Nigeria
🇸🇾 4. Syria
🇵🇰 5. PakistanView the index: https://t.co/TjrZ8WxnqY #terrorismindex pic.twitter.com/qHDZlvsMC1
— Global Peace Index (@GlobPeaceIndex) December 5, 2018
Angola and Spain saw the largest deteriorations in the Global Terrorism index.
Angola’s drop can be traced to a single attack on a Jehovah’s Witnesses convention which left 405 people injured, but resulted in no fatalities.
Spain’s score deteriorated because of the attacks in Barcelona in August 2017.
