The world has reached the highest level of conflict since World War II
According to a report published by the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), the number of conflicts involving states worldwide in 2025 has reached the highest level seen since World War II.
- ANF
- NEWS CENTER
- Tuesday, June 9, 2026, 10:03
The "Conflict Trends" report published by PRIO in Oslo, Norway, reveals that the world is entering an increasingly violent and unstable period.
The research shows that violence is spreading geographically and becoming more prolonged and destructive on a global scale, while pointing to the weakening capacity of international institutions to prevent conflicts.
65 CONFLICTS IN 2025
According to the report, a total of 65 conflicts involving at least one state were recorded in 2025. This number marks the highest level since data collection began in 1946.
The number of direct inter-state conflicts doubled within a year to eight, setting a new record for the last 80 years.
These conflicts include India-Pakistan border tensions, Afghanistan-Pakistan disputes, Cambodia-Thailand border conflicts, Russia's war against Ukraine, Israel's military operations in Syria, and other conflicts linked to regional tensions in the Middle East.
245 THOUSAND PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES
According to the research, 2025 was the third deadliest year since the end of the Cold War.
Approximately 245 thousand people died worldwide due to conflicts and political violence. Of these, about 76,500 were reported to have died in attacks directly targeting civilians.
In 2024, the number of deaths from attacks on civilians was recorded at 14,200. The main reason for this sharp increase within a year was cited as the war in Sudan.
MASSACRES IN SUDAN
According to the report, the ongoing war between the Sudanese army and paramilitary forces was the primary source of civilian deaths.
The siege and massacres in the city of El-Fasher, particularly in the Darfur region, are estimated to have caused around 60 thousand deaths alone.
Researchers noted that higher levels of casualties since the Cold War were only seen in the 1994 Rwandan genocide and the 2021 Tigray war.
THE WORLD CANNOT CATCH A BREATH
Siri Aas Rustad, a researcher at PRIO, highlighted that multiple major wars have been ongoing simultaneously in recent years.
"The world cannot catch a breath. The fundamental change in the last five to six years is that high-intensity conflicts have become continuous," Rustad said.
The researcher recalled that between 2000 and 2010, there were periods with no inter-state wars, emphasizing that today's picture is markedly different from previous periods.
ISRAEL IS ONE OF THE MOST AGGRESSIVE COUNTRIES
Rustad, whose views were included in the report, noted that Israel is simultaneously involved in conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and with the Houthis in Yemen, stating: "Israel is currently one of the most aggressive countries in the world."
GLOBAL TENSIONS INCREASED WITH TRUMP'S ARRIVAL
The researcher also argued that the policies pursued by the US after Donald Trump's return to power have increased global tensions.
"There is clearly more tension in the world. The US increases polarization not only through military interventions but also through the trade barriers it imposes," Rustad said.
UN SECURITY COUNCIL BECAME DYSFUNCTIONAL
Stating that the United Nations Security Council has become dysfunctional, Rustad said international cooperation has weakened and the world is moving towards a more polarized era.
CONFLICT HOTSPOTS
According to the report, Africa was the region with the most intense conflicts involving states, with 29 separate conflicts recorded. Africa was followed by Asia, the Middle East, the Americas, and Europe.
