2026 Indexes Reveal Islamist Violence Patterns The 2026 Global Happiness Index and Global Terrorism Index have sparked renewed debate about the relationship between religion and terrorism, highlighting stark contrasts between the world’s most stable societies and regions plagued by violence. The reports challenge the notion that terrorism is religion-agnostic, revealing patterns that link Islamic extremism to the deadliest terrorist groups and the most terror-affected regions. The Global Happiness Index 2026 places Finland at the top for the ninth consecutive year, followed by Iceland, Denmark, Costa Rica, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Israel, Luxembourg, and Switzerland. These nations consistently score high on indicators such as social trust, governance, and economic stability. In contrast, Afghanistan ranks last at 147th, underscoring the correlation between political instability and low happiness scores. Meanwhile, the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2026 identifies countries most affected by terrorism, with nine of the top ten deadliest groups classified as Islamist. Notably, none of the top ten happiest countries are Islamic, while the most terror-affected nations include Pakistan, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Mali, Syria, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Colombia, and Israel. The GTI 2026 underscores a growing trend: the dominance of Islamist groups in global terrorism. Of the top ten deadliest organizations, nine are Islamic, with the Islamic State (ISIS) remaining the most lethal despite the collapse of its territorial caliphate. Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM), Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Al-Shabaab, and the Balochistan Liberation Army also rank highly.#tehreek_e_taliban_pakistan #global_happiness_index_2026 #global_terrorism_index_2026 #islamic_state_isis #jamaat_nusrat_al_islam_wal_muslimeen
