News Digest

Global terrorism deaths soar as economic impact of attacks hits $53bn

The number of people killed by acts of terrorism in 2014 increased 80% to 32,658, according to a new study. Islamist groups Boko Haram and Islamic State were between them responsible for 51% of all claimed global killings, and 78% of all deaths occurred in Afghanistan, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan and Syria. The Global Terrorism Index report compiled using data collected by the University of Maryland also reveals the economic cost of terrorism has increased tenfold since 2000. The number of countries that suffered more than 500 deaths more than doubled, increasing from five in 2013 to 11 in 2014, including Somalia, Ukraine, Yemen, Central African Republic, South Sudan and Cameroon.

In the West, socio-economic factors such as youth unemployment and drug crime correlate with terrorism. In non-OECD countries, terrorism shows stronger associations with ongoing conflict, corruption and violence.

Steve Killelea, of the Institute for Economics and Peace

Although so-called “lone wolf” attackers were the main perpetrators of terrorist activity in the West, causing 70% of all deaths over the past 10 years, Islamic fundamentalism was not the main driver of terrorism in Western countries. Some 80% of lone wolf deaths were caused by political extremists, nationalists, racial and religious supremacists. Steve Killelea, Executive Chairman of the Institute for Economics and Peace which produced the report, said: “What is most striking from our analysis is how the drivers of terrorism differ between more and less developed countries.”