Data collection by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Projection (ACLED) shows, a substantial portion of the globe is still engulfed in some form of conflict. The infographic shows countries in which there have been reports of armed clashes involving state forces and/or rebel groups in 2022.
Unlike the situations in Donbass and Syria, for example, not all conflicts fit the picture we may have in our minds when thinking of war. In Mexico in 2021 for example, ACLED recorded 6 armed clashes involving state forces. Each one though was a battle between different law enforcement entities providing a snapshot of the ongoing fight against police corruption and the deep-seated influence of organized crime. So far for 2022, no such incidents have been recorded in the country.
The presence of war across the world is extensive. It is reported that between the time period of 7th, October 2021 to 7th, October 2022, 121,862 events have been recorded with 138,500 fatalities.
Conflicts and incidences of coup have been reported across multiple countries in Africa and the Middle East, including Syria, Libya, Mozambique, and CAR. These trends not only point to the heightened risk forces pose to civilians through both targeted killings and opportunistic attacks. They also highlight the manner in which states accept and exploit these activities as part of wider counter-insurgency operations in already complex conflict environments.
In Africa, war torn countries experience battles, violence against civilians, explosions/remote violence, riots, and protests. Political violence increased in 202/2022 compared to 2020. The conflict in the region has been largely driven by a jihadist insurgency centered in the states of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, which are most affected by the crisis.
Burkina Faso has replaced Mali as the epicenter of the regional conflict. In 2021, the number of organized political violence events in Burkina Faso doubled compared to 2020, while annual reported fatalities surpassed reported fatalities in Mali for the second time in three years.
Similarly, Niger experienced a record year of conflict, home to the highest number of civilian fatalities in the country since the beginning of ACLED coverage.
To contain the violence, the countries in the region should join forces and pool their resources to address the common threat or find alternative ways to contain the violence.
