Global Armed Conflicts
A recent report by the Peace Research Institute Oslo
reveals a disturbing trend: the number of state-based armed conflicts has
reached the highest level since the end of World War II. The conflicts in Gaza,
Ukraine, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Ethiopia, among
others, have contributed to this alarming increase. Siri Rustad, the research
director at the institute, emphasized that the last three years have been the
most violent since the Cold War.
The United Nations Refugee Agency reports that the global
displacement figure has now reached a record 120 million people. Filippo
Grandi, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, highlighted the escalating
displacement caused by conflicts, persecution, and complex forms of violence,
often conducted with a blatant disregard for international humanitarian law.
The data, gathered from the Uppsala Conflict Data
Program, shows that there were 59 state-based conflicts last year. Despite a
decrease in the number of casualties compared to the previous year, due to
exceptionally high death tolls in Ethiopia and Ukraine in the past, the overall
trend remains worrying.
Lesser-reported but equally devastating conflicts in
Ethiopia, the DRC, and Sudan have seen high death tolls, often overshadowed by
conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. Rustad pointed out that the conflict in
Ethiopia, particularly in the Tigray region, has resulted in more deaths than
in Afghanistan since the end of the Cold War, highlighting the severe but
underreported nature of this crisis.
Collecting accurate data in such conflict zones is
challenging due to limited access and reporting. Organizations like UCDP rely
on various sources, including news reports, NGO data, and social media, to
compile and verify information, though these numbers are likely conservative.
This report underscores the critical need for increased
attention and action to address these escalating conflicts and their
devastating impact on global stability and human lives.
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