The year 2025 recorded a record number of armed conflicts between states, the highest since World War II, according to a report by the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) titled "Conflict Trends," which also concluded that attacks against civilians have risen.
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Last year witnessed 65 conflicts involving at least one government party, marking the highest level since 1946.
State-based conflicts reached their highest levels in 80 years, doubling to eight. These included border clashes between India and Pakistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and Cambodia and Thailand, in addition to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Israeli military operations in Syria.
"Unfortunately, there aren't many positive things," said researcher Siri Aas Rustad. "Usually, I find a silver lining, but this year is shocking in terms of numbers."
Last year was the third deadliest year since the end of the Cold War, recording approximately 245,000 deaths from direct battles or political violence. Among these, around 76,500 people were killed in attacks directly targeting civilians, compared to 14,200 in 2024.
The study noted that the sharp rise in civilian casualties was caused by the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), where sieges and massacres in the city of El Fasher in the Darfur region resulted in about 60,000 deaths.
Since the end of the Cold War, the world has not witnessed higher levels of violence except in the years 1994 and 2021, due to the Rwandan genocide and the war in Ethiopia's Tigray region, respectively.
- Africa Most Affected -
Rustad stated that for the past five or six years, the world has been witnessing the overlap of several major conflicts at the same time, with one replacing another without stopping.
"The world gets no break," she added. "This is different from how it used to be; we are now seeing a sustained high level of conflicts globally."
The "Conflict Trends" report relies on the Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP), which is the world's leading authority on documenting organized violence.
The report distinguishes between three main types of organized violence: state-based conflicts (involving at least one state), non-state conflicts, and one-sided violence against civilians.
Africa remains the region most affected by state-based conflicts, recording 29 conflicts, followed by Asia, the Middle East, the Americas, and Europe.
Rustad pointed out that Israel is considered "among the most militarily active countries at present," noting its involvement in multiple conflict arenas, including Gaza, Syria, and Lebanon, in addition to its confrontations with Iran and the Houthis.
Regarding the United States, Rustad considered that the return of President Donald Trump to power brought "not only more attacks and violence but also an escalation in trade barriers."
She added, "We are limiting the opportunities for cooperation... The UN Security Council is not functioning at the moment, and the world is moving toward further polarization."
AFP
