Global Terrorism Index Warns: “Lone Wolf” Attacks on the Rise
The 2025 Global Terrorism Index report states that Western countries have experienced a sharp increase in individual terrorist attacks, commonly known as “lone wolf” attacks. The number of countries reporting terrorist incidents rose from 58 in 2023 to 66 last year.
According to the report, 93% of terrorist attacks in the West were carried out by “lone wolves,” with the vast majority of perpetrators not officially affiliated with terrorist groups but adopting extremist ideologies through the internet and social media.
The report highlights that this development represents a serious shift, posing new security challenges, particularly due to the ease of access to extremist content in the digital space, which reduces the need for direct communication with terrorist organizations.
It further notes that online radicalization has enabled potential terrorists to access extremist content and organize themselves with minimal physical contact, while digital platform algorithms gradually expose users to increasingly radical content.
The report identifies the four deadliest terrorist groups as ISIS, Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), the Pakistani Taliban, and Al-Shabaab. These groups are now active in 30 countries and have escalated their violence in 2024, leading to an 11% increase in the number of fatalities.
Regarding ISIS, the report warns that it continues to operate as a global network, maintaining its presence across multiple regions through affiliated groups. It notes that in 2024, ISIS was active in 22 countries across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Europe.
