Terrorism continued to be a destructive force around the globe in 2021. Like in the previous year, Afghanistan and Iraq topped the Global Terrorism Index published annually by the Institute for Economics and Peace.

According to the Institute, Afghanistan was the country most affected by terror as well as the least peaceful country in the world. It has been at the opposite ends of both indices for several years now, with its rating only declining since their inception in the 2000s.

Terrorism also surged in African countries in 2021, with Burkina Faso appearing in rank 4 and Mali as well as Niger in ranks 7 and 8. Activity of armed Islamists has increased in the border region of the three countries for a couple of years. Somalia and Nigeria remained in the top 8 since last year, while Yemen, Pakistan, and India were ranked lower compared to 2020.

In 2021, Afghanistan experienced 1,426 deaths from terrorism, around 20 percent of the world’s total. The number was up once more compared to 2020 following the violent takeover of Taliban forces after U.S. withdrawal from the country.

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