2025: List of 10 Countries that Have Suffered Most from the Deadly Hands of Terrorists
- Terrorism continued to cast a deadly shadow across several regions in 2025, with the Global Terrorism Index revealing the countries most severely affected
- From Burkina Faso to Cameroon, communities were reported to have endured violence, displacement and economic disruption at alarming levels
- Analysts said the findings underscored how extremist groups had destabilised nations, leaving millions vulnerable to insecurity and humanitarian crises
The Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2025 measured terrorism’s impact using a composite score based on incidents, fatalities, injuries and hostages, with a five-year weighted average applied.
According to Visions of Humanity, the index offered a clear picture of how violence had shaped societies and economies across regions.
Source: Getty Images
Here are the 10 countries below:
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso was listed as the country most impacted by terrorism. Sustained attacks by jihadist groups had devastated communities, security forces, and local economies. Legit.ng noted that six of the top 10 most affected countries were in Africa, with Burkina Faso leading for the second year running, which depicted a deep Sahel crisis.
Factions linked to JNIM in Burkina Faso had carried out deadly raids on defence posts, looted equipment, and burned camps, with soldiers killed and communities left in fear. Tactics included targeted assaults on security assets to seize territory and disrupt governance.
Pakistan
Pakistan was ranked second in the GTI 2025. The country had faced a surge in extremist activity, with TTP described as the world’s fastest-growing terrorist group. Analysts explained that repeated attacks had strained security resources and hit local economies.
A sharp month-on-month rises in fatalities in early 2025 was reported with most deaths concentrated in Balochistan. Researchers said this pattern reflected persistent insurgency pressures and ongoing challenges for internal stability and growth. Terrorism had affected Pakistan’s global standing and investor confidence, complicating recovery efforts.
Syria
Syria’s fragmented conflict environment had given space to extremist groups with reports of ISIS attempting a resurgence through revived cells, recruitment, and propaganda. Syrian operatives foiled multiple plots, according to several reports, but the threat landscape remained fluid and destructive for civilians and services.
In Syria, terrorism had deepened humanitarian crises by driving displacement, weakening institutions, and complicating aid access across contested territories. Territorial fragmentation and ongoing militant operations had blocked stabilisation.
Mali
Mali is locked in a cycle of conflict under military rule with jihadist groups contesting territory and striking security forces. Heavy fighting with JNIM in western Mali and drone-supported counter-operations had recaptured areas amid sustained insecurity.
Al‑Qaeda and Islamic State affiliates were behaving primarily as insurgents using terrorism tactically in Mali. They also focus on control of land and the weakening of state presence. Regional observers said the Sahel accounted for a large share of global terror deaths by 2025, reflecting institutional fragility after coups and drawdowns of external forces.
Niger
Niger had faced cross‑border militant pressures with a joint anti‑jihadist force announced by Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso under the Alliance of Sahel States. Officials said the 5,000‑troop initiative aimed to integrate aerial, ground and intelligence operations with external strategic partners cited for support.
Escalating jihadist violence has intensified a humanitarian crisis with civilians affected by displacement and limited access to services. Worsening insecurity had disrupted livelihoods and strained state capacity in Niger.
Nigeria
Nigeria had faced a series of deadly attacks in 2025 with thousands reported killed in the first half of the year and spikes seen in insurgency, banditry and communal violence across regions. Widespread kidnappings and abductions had disrupted daily life and economic activity, especially in the North‑West and North‑Central.
Nigeria’s GTI rise to sixth place reflected worsening security indicators, with new groups emerging and the state contesting their narratives.
Somalia
Somalia’s landscape remained volatile with Al‑Shabaab continuing to threaten towns and rural areas despite government territorial gains and a mission transition from ATMIS to AUSSOM. Shifting international support and regional dynamics had raised questions about long‑term counterterror outcomes.
There had been heavy clashes during Puntland operations against ISIS with militants and soldiers killed in sustained combat. Officials said external assistance, including drone strikes, had supported local offensives, but the threat from Al‑Shabaab and ISIS affiliates remained significant for governance and services.
Israel
Israel had experienced persistent terrorist threats but official briefings recorded a sharp decline in attacks in the West Bank during 2025 compared with previous years. IDF operation launched in January was cited as a factor in dismantling networks and reducing incident frequency.
Conflict trackers said fighting and counter‑operations in Gaza had continued with claims that large numbers of structures were destroyed and hostages remained unaccounted for.
Afghanistan
UN monitoring teams warned that ISKP remained the most serious terrorist threat in Afghanistan and the wider Central Asian region, carrying out high‑impact attacks against minorities, media, and Taliban security forces.
UN research had earlier outlined how the post‑transition security landscape affected regional stability and terrorism risks.
Cameroon
UN agencies reported that Cameroon continued to experience heightened insecurity in 2025, with attacks by non‑state armed groups in the Far North and Anglophone regions, displacement, and widespread humanitarian need. They said millions were affected, and vulnerable groups faced limited access to essential services in hard‑to‑reach areas.
Persistent conflicts with Boko Haram‑linked militants in the north and separatist violence in the south‑west and north‑west have weakened the nation. Recurring attacks on security forces and communities had increased fear and disrupted local economies and public life.
Source: Getty Images
31 individuals and groups who will be treated as terrorists
Legit.ng earlier reported that in his recent budget speech, President Bola Tinubu announced a sweeping new national security doctrine that redefined who would be treated as terrorists in Nigeria.
He explained that the federal government was investing in security with 'clear accountability for outcomes' and emphasised that spending must deliver results.
The President stated that the administration was resetting the national security architecture and introducing a counterterrorism doctrine anchored on unified command, intelligence, community stability, and counterinsurgency.
Source: Legit.ng
