Terrorism deaths fell in 2015, annual world index shows

First decrease in terror fatalities since 2010 attributed to fewer deaths in Iraq and Nigeria, though year also saw IS and Boko Haram expand reach

By AFP and ToI Staff 16 November 2016, 2:14 pm

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People look at flowers and messages placed along the beach of the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, southern France, Tuesday, July 19, 2016, where dozens were killed in last week's Bastille Day truck attack. (AP Photo/Claude Paris)

LONDON — Terrorism deaths fell last year thanks to a weakening of the Islamic State group in Iraq and Boko Haram in Nigeria, but both groups expanded their geographic reach, a new index revealed Wednesday.

Some 29,376 people died from terrorism in 2015, down 3,389 on the previous year and the first fall since 2010, according to the Global Terrorism Index published by the Institute for Economics and Peace.

This fall was thanks largely to 5,556 fewer deaths in Iraq and Nigeria — a reduction of one-third since 2014 — as military operations weakened IS and Boko Haram.

However, both groups also expanded their geographical reach last year, with Boko Haram killing more people in Niger, Cameroon and Chad than in the previous year.

In Israel, there were 28 terror-related deaths in 2015, the highest number in eight years, according to the Shin Bet security service. 2015 saw a spike in stabbing and car ramming attacks, though most attacks were carried out by so-called lone wolves and not as part of an organized effort by terror groups, the Shin Bet said.

IS affiliates, meanwhile, carried out attacks in 28 countries in 2015, 15 more than in 2014.

Deaths in OECD countries increased from 77 in 2014 to 577 the following year, more than half of them connected to IS.

“The attacks by IS in Paris, Brussels and in Turkey’s capital Ankara were among the most devastating in the history of these countries and reflect a disturbing return of the transnational group-based terrorism more associated with al-Qaeda before and immediately after September 11,” the report said.

Six countries saw a significantly deteriorating situation in 2015 — France, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Tunisia and Burundi, according to the report.

Deaths from the Taliban in Afghanistan also increased significantly. However, Pakistan, India and Thailand recorded improvements.

More than 90 percent of all terrorist deaths occurred in countries already engaged in some form of internal or international conflict.

And just five countries — Iraq, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Pakistan and Syria — accounted for 72 percent of all terrorism-related deaths in 2015.

Meanwhile four groups — IS, Boko Haram, the Taliban and al-Qaeda — were responsible for 74 percent of deaths, with IS and its affiliates alone killing 6,141 people.

Terrorism cost an estimated $89.6 billion in 2015, down 15 percent on the previous year.