Today's Edition
By Hazza Khalid Buhazza*
Extremism and terrorism stem from an interwoven set of intellectual, social, economic, political, and psychological factors. They flourish in environments marked by the absence of dialogue, aspiration, and opportunity.
Prolonged instability and armed conflict intensify these conditions, creating chaos that allows armed groups to grow under the cover of extremist ideology. Such environments become fertile ground for recruitment, whether through digital platforms or on the ground, whenever space is left for extremist networks to spread their toxic narratives.
Conflict-ridden societies pave the way for hate speech and the entrenchment of radicalism, particularly when segments of the population feel marginalised or subjected to injustice. In a Middle East marked by chronic tension, unrest and war reverberate across political, social and economic spheres, this climate enables terrorist groups to connect with individuals who have lost hope or identity, or who seek revenge, creating conditions that allow extremism to take root and expand.
The region has endured multiple waves of terrorism over the past century and into the present one. Looking at the first 25 years of the 21st century, the shock of the September 11, 2001 attacks was hardly absorbed before the subsequent decade became defined by recurring waves of violence whose repercussions persist today.
These terrorist activities have consistently been linked to major crises, including wars, regional tensions, uncontrolled chaos, and weak responses to security breakdowns, alongside prolonged conflicts with no clear path to resolution. The expansion of wars over the past two years suggests the region may now be approaching yet another dangerous cycle.
Protracted wars and intractable crises have devastated national economies, deepened sectarian divisions, and created power vacuums that extremist groups have exploited, undermining both security and development. External interventions have further encouraged the proliferation of armed actors, often under the banner of resisting foreign influence. Narratives of grievance have facilitated recruitment, draining the Middle East’s resources and embedding radical ideas in minds that could become the fuel for future terrorist operations.
The fact that terrorist activity in the Middle East exceeds global averages underscores the severity of the threat, particularly that arising from cross-border conflicts that exploit a highly volatile regional landscape. Persistent grievances, widening sectarian and ethnic divisions, fragile policy responses to developmental decline and the failure to harness education and socialisation to dismantle extremist narratives all contribute to this dangerous environment.
Ongoing civil and international wars frequently generate violence that empowers terrorist groups, especially where states struggle to establish credible alternative narratives or to exercise full sovereignty over their territory. Porous borders, ungoverned spaces, and transnational arenas allow radical ideologies to spread, facilitate recruitment, enable operational planning, and support both organised attacks and lone-actor violence driven by remote radicalisation.
Continuous crises, unrest and war drain regional resources and capabilities, placing an enormous burden on states. Prolonged conflict produces humanitarian disasters, pushes the region toward anarchy, reshapes geopolitical and demographic realities, and exacerbates economic hardship, creating new crises that, in turn, feed terrorism once again.
Breaking this cycle requires a coordinated regional political effort to prohibit the use of armed groups as instruments of state policy against other states, alongside sustained regional cooperation on this complex challenge.
International collaboration to contain terrorism remains essential, as does a comprehensive approach that addresses the broader environment rather than a single cause. Yet even this will fall short without a genuine path toward resolving protracted conflicts and addressing deep-rooted social and economic imbalances.
No sooner does a moment of de-escalation appear in the Middle East than new conflicts erupt, setting the stage for yet another flashpoint in an endless cycle.
Experience shows that instability weakens development and prepares the ground for extremism. Drawing lessons from the past requires strengthening societal resilience, adopting more sustainable policies, and confronting the ideological roots of extremism so that the region can eventually move beyond crisis management toward lasting calm and stability.
* Researcher at TRENDS Research & Advisory
