Terror deaths fall with IS on run
THE American-led war against Islamic State has resulted in a dramatic drop in terrorism worldwide, a study revealed yesterday.
For the third successive year deaths from terrorism decreased, dropping last year by 27 per cent to 18,814, according to the authoritative Global Terrorism Index.
Last year in Europe deaths fell by 75 per cent to 81, down from 168 in 2016. And in the first nine months of this year, Europe experienced just eight terrorism-related deaths.
But despite being cornered in a few last strongholds in Syria – where it is being pounded by Syrian rebels and Coalition warplanes including RAF aircraft – Islamic State remains the world’s deadliest terror group.
And new threats continue to emerge with Islamist terror organisations splintering and forming new factions. In Western Europe and North America far-right terrorism is on the rise, accounting for 59 attacks and 17 deaths last year.
The atrocities were mainly carried out by “lone wolf ” terrorists with neo-Nazi, white nationalist or antiMuslim beliefs.
Oilfields
Steve Killelea, executive chairman of the Institute for Economics and Peace which developed the Index, said the powerful international battering of IS is behind much of the decline in terrorism.
The number of deaths from terrorist attacks attributed to the jihadist group – also known as Isil – fell by 52 per cent last year as it lost most of its territory in Syria and Iraq as well as the oilfields which helped fund its campaigns of carnage.
Mr Killelea said: “The marked improvements in Europe can be attributed to a number of reasons.
“Isil has lost much of its attractiveness due to its military defeats and weakened capabilities to mount attacks in Europe.
“Increases in counter-terrorism funding, combined with better surveillance techniques, have also contributed to the steep reduction of deaths in Europe from terrorism.
“Interestingly, although deaths from terrorism in Europe have decreased, the number of terrorist incidents increased in this period.
“This highlights the fact that Isil is losing its ability to plan and coordinate larger-scale terrorist attacks as a result of lessened capabilities.”