In 2023, the world experienced the highest number of armed conflicts since 1946, but the number of countries affected by these conflicts decreased, according to a report by the Oslo Peace Research Institute (PRIO). The institute's report, based in Norway, stated on June 10, 2024, that last year 59 conflicts were recorded globally, nearly half (28) of which occurred in Africa. However, the number of countries experiencing conflicts dropped from 39 in 2022 to 34. Additionally, the number of war-related deaths decreased by half (around 122,000), based on data compiled by Uppsala University from international organizations and NGOs. This figure represents the third highest since 1989, largely attributed to the civil war in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the ongoing conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.
According to the same report, the last three years have been the most violent in the past three decades. Researcher Siri Aas Rustad, a lead contributor to the report covering the period from 1946 to 2023, stated in a statement, "Violence in the world has never been this high since the end of the Cold War." She emphasized that "the numbers indicate that the conflict landscape has become more complex, with a larger number of combatant parties involved in the same country."
The increase in conflicts is partially attributed to the spread of ISIS in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, as well as the involvement of a growing number of non-state actors, such as the "Jabhat al-Nusra" group affiliated with Al-Qaeda, according to the institute. Rustad noted, "This development increases the difficulty for actors such as humanitarian groups and civil society organizations to improve people's lives."
Despite the reduction in battle-related deaths last year, the total number over the past three years is the highest in decades. After Africa, the most affected regions by armed conflicts were Asia (17), followed by the Middle East (10), Europe (3), and the Americas (1). Over the past three years, Africa witnessed more than 330,000 combat-related deaths.
