Morocco among the world's most resilient nations against terrorism

The latest Global Terrorism Index (GTI), issued by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), has placed Morocco among the 25 countries worldwide most resilient and immune to terrorist attacks.

The report notes that Morocco has not experienced a single terrorist incident since 2011, making it a global model for stability, rapid response, and effective counterterrorism strategies.

The GTI highlighted the “exceptional performance of Moroccan security institutions in combating terrorism, as well as the strength and multidimensional nature of Morocco’s counterterrorism strategy.”

Globally, the report indicates a 28% decline in terrorism-related deaths in 2025 (5,582 fatalities) and a 22% decrease in total terrorist incidents, which numbered 2,944 worldwide.

Regionally, the Middle East and North Africa have seen an unprecedented 95% drop in terrorism fatalities over the past decade, while Sub-Saharan Africa remains the most affected region, accounting for nearly half of global terrorism-related deaths.

For the first time in the history of the GTI, Pakistan surpassed Burkina Faso as the country most impacted by terrorism, with 1,139 fatalities and 1,045 attacks in 2025, largely due to the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan in 2021.

The report also underscores emerging threats, including the increasing involvement of youth and teenagers in terrorism, the use of online platforms for extremist propaganda, and familial recruitment pressures. Currently, young people represent 42% of terrorism-related investigations in Europe and North America, triple the figure recorded in 2021.

Concluding, the GTI warns that 2026 could mark a critical point globally, with geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and Iran, coupled with the pervasive influence of extremist networks online, potentially ushering in a new era of terrorist violence. In this context, Morocco’s security apparatus is highlighted as a “benchmark model for counterterrorism.”