Islamic State
Islamic State (IS) and its affiliates remained the deadliest terrorist network in 2024, responsible for 1,805 deaths across 22 countries. Despite a 10% decline from the previous year, IS continues to operate as a global network through affiliated groups like Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISK) and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWA), employing suicide bombings and armed assaults.
The four major terrorist organizations—IS, Jama'at Nusrat Al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM), Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and Al-Shabaab—accounted for 4,204 deaths in 2024, a 11% increase from 2023. JNIM saw a significant rise in attacks in the Sahel, with 1,022 deaths, while TTP's activity surged by 90%, killing 558 people in Pakistan.
Other prominent groups include:
- Al-Qaeda (AQ): A transnational network that inspired IS and remains active through regional affiliates like AQAP (Al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula) and AQIM (Al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb).
- Hamas: Increased militant activity in Israel and the Palestinian territories, claiming high-profile attacks in 2024.
- Boko Haram: Remains a major threat in Nigeria and Cameroon, with deadly assaults including a mass killing in Yobe State.
- Houthis: A Zaydi Shia group from Yemen, re-added to the U.S. Foreign Terrorist Organization list in 2025.
These groups are often linked to broader ideological movements, with jihadist extremism driving violence against "nonbelievers" and "corrupt regimes," particularly in unstable regions like the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia. Despite territorial losses, such as IS losing its last territory in 2019, online propaganda and inspired lone actors continue to pose a global threat.
