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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