Sahel remains global epicentre of terrorism for third year

The Sahel remains the global centre of terrorist activity for the third consecutive year, accounting for nearly half of all terrorism-related deaths worldwide, according to the latest report by the Institute for Economics and Peace, cited by foreign media.

In its Global Terrorism Index 2026, the institute noted a significant geographic shift in terrorism, with the epicentre moving away from the Middle East and North Africa toward the Sahel, which spans countries south of the Sahara Desert.

“The epicentre of terrorism has shifted from the Middle East and North Africa to the Sahel region, which includes countries south of the Sahara. Since 2007, the number of deaths from terrorism in the Sahel has increased tenfold,” the report states.

Globally, 5,582 people were killed in terrorist attacks in 2025, with nearly half of those fatalities recorded in the Sahel, underscoring the region’s growing security challenges.

By Tamilla Hasanova