Maat: International and regional efforts have not been effective in reducing terrorism in the Mediterranean basin so far

Maat for Peace, Development and Human Rights has issued a study entitled "Terrorism Transformations in the Mediterranean Basin 2021-2022". Terrorism is considered the most influential and variable phenomenon affecting the Mediterranean Basin. Therefore, the countries of the southern Mediterranean are particularly affected. Given the critical importance of the region, international and regional efforts have been concerted to minimize, if not to eradicate, the phenomenon in the region. There are, indeed, ongoing anti-terrorism attempts as the phenomenon continues to evolve in the region.

The study revealed that, in contrast to the relative calm witnessed by the European region within the Mediterranean Basin over the past two years, the effects of terrorism have been deeply experienced by all societies located on the southern shore of the Mediterranean, regardless of the size of the impact differed from Asian to North African countries. In Syria 2022, the number of deaths caused by terrorism decreased by 10% compared to 2021, and terrorist attacks witnessed their lowest level in three years. However, terrorism continues to claim the lives of the Syrian people, with 447 deaths due to terrorism were reported during the year. Syria still ranks fifth in the world among the countries most affected by terrorism since 2021, while Europe recorded 27 deaths in 2022 due to terrorism, 17 of which inside Turkey. The terrorist organization ISIS also reappeared on the Lebanese borders in 2022, with the Lebanese army announcing a series of security operations that resulted in the arrest of affiliated cells.