A new global index reveals that terrorism deaths fell last year due to a weakening of the "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL) in Iraq and Boko Haram in Nigeria, AFP reported Wednesday (November 16th).

Both groups expanded their geographic reach, however, according to the 2016 Global Terrorism Index published by the Institute for Economics and Peace.

Some 29,376 people died from terrorism in 2015, down 3,389 from the previous year and the first fall since 2010, according to the report.

This fall was due largely to 5,556 fewer deaths in Iraq and Nigeria, a reduction of one third since 2014, as military operations weakened ISIL and Boko Haram.

Both groups also expanded their geographical reach last year, with Boko Haram killing more people in Niger, Cameroon and Chad than in 2014, and ISIL affiliates carrying out attacks in 28 countries in 2015, 15 more than in 2014.

Terrorism-linked deaths in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries increased from 77 in 2014 to 577 the following year, more than half of them connected to ISIL.

Six countries saw a significantly deteriorating situation in 2015 -- France, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Tunisia and Burundi.

More than 90% of all terrorist deaths occurred in countries already engaged in some form of internal or international conflict.

And just five countries – Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan – accounted for 72% of all terrorism-related deaths in 2015.

Meanwhile four groups – ISIL, Boko Haram, the Taliban and al-Qaeda – were responsible for 74% of deaths, with ISIL and its affiliates killing 6,141 people.