Maat: In Q2 2023 (from April until June)... At least 230 terrorist operations were carried out in the Arab region claiming the lives of 3387 victims

Okeil: We recommend the League of Arab States to launch an integrated joint plan based on security, intelligence and intellectual cooperation within a common Arab framework so that Arab countries are not caught up in a vicious circle of military confrontations with terrorist groups, until the situation exacerbates to an endless war and acts of violence ravaging the stability of the region and stumbling all efforts for development

Husban: The international community must not be complacent in dealing with the Houthi issue, and cut off its sources of funding and support while trying to reach agreements with regional funding parties

Maat for Peace, Development and Human Rights issued its quarterly report entitled "Index of Terrorism in the Arab Region" for the period from April to June 2023, which monitors terrorist operations carried out during that period and tracks the movement of terrorist organizations and efforts to combat them. At least 3387 people fell victim to terrorist operations during the period. Despite the marked decrease in the number of terrorist operations in the Arab region during Q2 2023, which recorded 230 operations, a decline of 35 from Q1, the internal crisis in Sudan was and remains the first contributor to the huge number of victims. Analyzing the reality of terrorism within every Arab country reveals that the threat of terrorism and extremism remain present, and terrorist organizations are still working to renew and rehabilitate themselves. With regard to geographical distribution of terrorist operations and acts of violence, we find that the death toll has nearly doubled compared to Q1 in North Africa, with 58 terrorist operations, or 25.2%, as Sudan ranked first in the terrorist operations index, with 45 operations, most of which were carried out during the ongoing conflict since mid-April between the armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces. Sudan also ranked first in the number of casualties, with 2,800 deaths and more than 5,000 injuries.

Ayman Okeil, a human rights expert and Chairman of Maat for Peace, Development and Human Rights, recommended Arab countries to work on launching a joint plan that focuses on encouraging sustainable cooperation among all Arab countries during a specific period under the auspices of the League of Arab States, so that the Arab states do not end up being caught into a vicious circle of terrorist strikes that would become active, paving the road for endless war and acts of violence that would undermine the stability of the region and stumble all efforts to development. Okeil also stressed that anti-terrorist security operations must be in line with development plans that reduce the causes of the spread of terrorism.

Nisreen Husban, a researcher at the Unit for Combating Hate Speech and Violent Extremism, explained the importance of the international community in addressing the Houthi crisis and recommended working to dry up its roots by trying to conclude mediation agreements with the regional funding parties. Husban also called on Arab countries to adopt a strategy of military cleansing of terrorism from their lands.

According to the report, terrorism remains existent in the Arab region. In addition to acts of violence that annihilate all aspects of life in many countries, countries must realize that terrorism alone does not end with military action. Armed confrontation is only a short-term solution, unlike thought-based confrontation which dries up the roots of terrorism and addresses past issues in the region. As for acts of violence, it has been proved that there is no way to solve it but to return to dialogue and make mutual concessions in order to avoid slipping into a vicious circle of violence that could bring the state to a point of no return.