By far, Taliban was the most active terrorist organization in the world in 2020. Over 1,900 Taliban attacks were registered that year, over 1,500 more than the second most active perpetrator, the Houthi extremists in Yemen. With 389 attacks, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) was the third most active perpetrator that year. That year, Afghanistan was the country in where the highest number of terrorist attacks was registered.
Most active terrorist organizations worldwide in 2020, by number of attacks
Characteristic
Number of attacks
Taliban
1,903
Houthi extremists (Ansar Allah)
397
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)
389
Boko Haram
301
Al-Shabaab
292
Fulani extremists*
170
Communist Party of India - Maoist (CPI-Maoist)/Maoists
166
New People's Army (NPA)
145
Muslim extremists*
117
Conspiracy theory extremists*
116
Allied Democratic Forces (ADF)
115
Cooperative for the Development of the Congo (CODECO)
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Global Terrorism Database. (July 6, 2022). Most active terrorist organizations worldwide in 2020, by number of attacks [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved September 01, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/937553/terrorism-most-active-perpetrator-groups-worldwide/
Global Terrorism Database. "Most active terrorist organizations worldwide in 2020, by number of attacks." Chart. July 6, 2022. Statista. Accessed September 01, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/937553/terrorism-most-active-perpetrator-groups-worldwide/
Global Terrorism Database. (2022). Most active terrorist organizations worldwide in 2020, by number of attacks. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: September 01, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/937553/terrorism-most-active-perpetrator-groups-worldwide/
Global Terrorism Database. "Most Active Terrorist Organizations Worldwide in 2020, by Number of Attacks." Statista, Statista Inc., 6 Jul 2022, https://www.statista.com/statistics/937553/terrorism-most-active-perpetrator-groups-worldwide/
Global Terrorism Database, Most active terrorist organizations worldwide in 2020, by number of attacks Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/937553/terrorism-most-active-perpetrator-groups-worldwide/ (last visited September 01, 2024)
Most active terrorist organizations worldwide in 2020, by number of attacks [Graph], Global Terrorism Database, July 6, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/937553/terrorism-most-active-perpetrator-groups-worldwide/