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Everyone’s focus seems to be on Ukraine and, more recently, the escalating Israel-Iran conflict, but there are bloody battles currently underway in pretty much every single continent on the planet. From civil wars to continental conflicts, the world feels more fractured than ever.
Justification for all the destruction varies – territory, power, religion, resources, revenge – but the results are all similarly tragic.
Unfortunately, it’s become too normal to look at the world and despair, but if you have the heart for it, here’s a list of some of the wars of the world:
Russia-Ukraine War
The war that erupted in February 2022 between Russia and Ukraine has turned into a grinding war of attrition, with Ukraine paying the highest price. Russia invaded to stop Ukraine getting too close to the West, but Ukraine’s been holding its ground with a lot of help from, ironically for Russia, their Western allies.
The war has shaken Europe too, with energy and food prices having soared. Putin isn’t backing down anytime soon, so it seems like Europeans need to buckle up.
Israel-Iran War
The latest flashpoint is a long-simmering direct clash between Israel and Iran. It all kicked off last week when Israel launched “Operation Rising Lion”, hitting Iran’s nuclear and military sites in a surprise strike. Iran hit back with drones and missiles, and now other countries like Pakistan and India are sniffing around, turning it into a geopolitical shouting match.
Israel-Gaza Conflict
The Israel-Gaza crisis exploded again after a Hamas-led attack on Israel in 2023. Israel’s military response devastated Gaza, creating a humanitarian nightmare. Since Hamas is backed by Iran, the whole situation has now poured fuel on the Israel-Iran fire, and some say it could be the spark that ignites a runaway global fire.
Kurdish-Turkish Conflict
The fight between the PKK and the Turkish government keeps raging, mostly in southeastern Turkey and northern Iraq. It rarely makes any headlines, but it’s a relentlessly brutal, long-running battle.
The initial demand from the PKK was its separation from Turkey to create an independent Kurdistan. Later on, the PKK abandoned separatism in favour of autonomy and/or greater political and cultural rights for Kurds inside the Republic of Turkey.
According to Wikipedia, this fight has periodically been raging since 1921, so it has been more than a hundred years.
Yemeni Civil War
What began in 2014 as a power struggle in Yemen has morphed into a regional proxy war. On one side, the Saudi-backed government; on the other, the Iranian-supported Houthis. The human toll has been devastating due to famine, displacement, and non-stop suffering.
Syrian Civil War
While not as intense as during its peak years, Syria’s civil war never really ended. The country is still divided, with different factions and foreign powers controlling different regions. It started in 2011 with protests, but today, it’s a messy mix of politics, power, and survival.
Sahel Insurgency
In parts of West Africa like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, governments are fighting off several militant groups, sometimes even more than one at a time. The situation is chaotic, with many areas lawless, while millions are displaced, and military coups keep popping up. It’s a full-blown regional crisis, and nobody knows how to fix it.
Myanmar Civil War
Since the 2021 military coup, Myanmar has been locked in an increasingly violent conflict. Ethnic armed groups and pro-democracy forces are fighting against the junta, and the fighting is spreading across the country. Four years in, there’s no sign of peace.
Ethiopian Civil Conflict
Despite a peace deal to end the war in the Tigray region, tensions and sporadic fighting continue in other parts of Ethiopia, particularly in the Amhara and Oromia regions. Deep-seated ethnic and political grievances now threaten the stability of the entire Horn of Africa.
Sudanese Civil War
A brutal power struggle erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The fighting has devastated the capital, Khartoum, and other regions, leading to a massive displacement crisis and fears of a prolonged and destabilising civil war with ethnic dimensions and a bloody price.
Mexican Drug War
Not really a war, per se, but Mexico’s been locked in a long, bloody fight with powerful drug cartels for decades. Despite major crackdowns, violence continues, fueled by turf wars, corruption, and the huge profits involved in drug business. It may not be a traditional war, but the impact on civilians in that country makes it more than just a crime problem.
Haitian Crisis
Haiti is hectic. Haiti is experiencing a near-total collapse of the state, with armed gangs controlling much of the capital, Port-au-Prince, leading to rampant violence and a severe humanitarian crisis. A transitional government struggles to assert authority amidst the chaos, while the population faces extreme shortages and displacement, as well as a gang leader known as Barbecue.
Also, not even a blip on most news feeds lately.
Colombian Armed Conflict
Despite a 2016 peace deal with FARC rebels, Colombia faces ongoing violence from remaining guerrilla groups and criminal organisations fighting for control of illicit economies. The government’s “Total Peace” efforts are met by continued clashes and attacks, with the rural and indigenous communities bearing the biggest brunt of the conflict.
DR Congo Conflict
For over three decades, the mineral-rich east of the Democratic Republic of Congo has been trapped in turmoil, with conflict simmering ever since the 1994 Rwandan genocide spilt across borders. Dozens of armed groups have vied with the central government for control of the region’s vast natural wealth, turning the area into a battleground of shifting allegiances and unchecked ambition.
Since 1996, conflict in eastern DRC has led to approximately six million deaths. With one million Congolese seeking refuge abroad and twenty-one million people in the country in need of urgent medical, food, and other aid, the DRC represents one of the largest and deadliest humanitarian crises in the world.
So yeah, while the world only watches a few headlines play out, there’s a whole lot more burning quietly going on in the background. From crumbling governments to full-blown wars, the list is too long, messy, and heartbreaking.
[Source: Daily Sun]
