In a significant development, Libya has risen seven places in the 2024 Global Terrorism Index, an annual report published by the Institute for Economics & Peace in English. This advancement underscores Libya’s “largest improvement” in the Middle East and North Africa region, marking the country’s first year without terrorist incidents or fatalities since 2010.
The report highlights a dramatic reduction in terrorism-related deaths in Libya, dropping to just 30 cases over the past five years, a stark contrast to the 537 recorded in the five years preceding 2019.
The report further notes a shift in the epicenter of terrorism from the Middle East and North Africa to sub-Saharan Africa, particularly the Sahel region, which now accounts for nearly half of the world’s terrorism-related deaths. Sub-Saharan Africa, alongside the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia, experienced significantly higher fatalities due to terrorism than any other region, collectively accounting for almost 94% of global terrorism deaths in 2023.
The 2024 Global Terrorism Index report also observes the largest decreases in terrorism rates since 2007 in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Nigeria, with Iraq witnessing a staggering 99% reduction in terrorism-related deaths since 2007. The index provides a comprehensive summary of key global trends and patterns in terrorism, analyzing the social, economic, geopolitical motives, and ideological goals of terrorist groups, as well as their strategies.
The interim Government of National Unity and the Libyan National Army have welcomed the 2024 Global Terrorism Index results. Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba, the head of the Government of National Unity, views Libya’s improved ranking as an indication of “security restoration” and an enhanced sense of “reassurance” across the country. Meanwhile, the Libyan National Army extends its gratitude to all its soldiers and officers stationed at various locations, reaffirming its commitment to combating terrorism wherever it emerges.
