How many conflicts are ongoing? The most since WWII

On the 9th of May 1945, Europe began a project of integration and peace. However, after 80 years, the world has reached the highest number of armed conflicts since the Second World War. The current scenario differs from the past, which was more asymmetric and fragmented, because the public’s perspective is influenced by mass and social media.

The 9th of May 1945 is a day to remember for the European continent for two main reasons: first of all, on that day, German authorities signed the act of surrender, and the Second World War ended. Secondly, starting from this event, the process of integration between European countries began, aiming to promote peace and cooperation, and most importantly, to prevent, by all means, the repetition of the atrocities of the First and Second World Wars. (ISPI, 2015)

Can we affirm that this aim has now been achieved? Most of all, can we truly affirm that we finally live in a peaceful Europe?

According to Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) and IED, there are currently around 56 conflicts (ndr: it is difficult to define the exact number, as it can vary depending on the criteria used by each organization), the highest number since the Second World War. At least 92 countries are involved in these conflicts and, as a consequence, over 100 million people have been forced to leave their homes and to migrate to other parts of the State or to other States. In addition, it has been noticed that in the last 5 years, violent acts connected to conflicts have doubled, rising from 104.000 in 2020 to almost 200.000 in 2024 (half of which were bombings). As a consequence of these events, it has been estimated that around 233.000 people have died, even it is likely that this number is higher, considering the circumstances.

This scenario was described by Pope Francis with the famous expression “terza guerra mondiale a pezzi”, which can be translated as “Third world war in pieces”. (Beloli, 2025)

In this regard, each year the ACLED elaborates a “Conflict Index” and, at the beginning of the year, publishes a report on ongoing conflicts. The report aims to predict trends for the current year, based on the information from previous years. Concerning the year 2025, it has been observed that conflict event rates increased by more than 25% in 2024, mainly due to episodes in the Middle East, particularly those regarding Iran and its allies, but also Israel and neighboring countries. On the one hand, the influence of Iran on the region is expected to decrease, and on the other hand, Israel is attempting to reaffirm its military presence, even if its actions in Lebanon and Palestine have not been approved by public opinion.

Europe, despite the premise mentioned above, is not immune to conflict situations. In fact, the war between Russia and Ukraine, even after three years, has seen a 63% increase in battles, compared to 2023. However, an end is not expected in the near future. In general, conflicts that started a long time ago tend to continue much longer due to the fact that countries are unwilling to make a compromise. In fact, conflicts in Syria, the Great Lakes, Pakistan, and the Sahel are continuing due to new elements.

Other than states, the role of non-armed groups is becoming more relevant in various contexts, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), and Houthis in Yemen. 

Recently, another important aspect has emerged: militias and gangs are controlling parts of states, especially in Latin America. In particular, in Colombia, the government has elaborated a strategy to combat armed groups and this will probably affect Venezuela and Ecuador. Moreover, in Mexico, it has been noticed that gang conflicts have increased significantly, and cartels are focusing not only on drug trafficking but also on other illicit markets. Additionally, there have been around 500 violent incidents involving political candidates, showing that the non-state actors aim to influence politics to protect their interests. (ACLED, 2024)

Despite the long period of integration with the aim of reaching peace, the world is full of conflicts, most of which are not even mentioned by the mass media, but are affecting millions of people.

Some are more well known, such as the ones in the Gaza Strip and in Ukraine, while others are less debated by public opinion, but involve entire populations, as the ones in Yemen or in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where people are living in inhuman conditions and deadly situations.

The differences between the current conflicts and the past ones, are that nowadays the wars are defined as asymmetric and fragmented, with national actors, but also international. In addition, in the past, the main goal was to conquer more territories and expand the borders, whereas now there are many different reasons, such as natural resources, geopolitics and ethics. (OXFAM Italia, 2025)

Bibliography: 

Beloli, A. (2025, June 23). Panoramica dei 56 conflitti in corso nel mondo: è davvero la "terza guerra mondiale a pezzi"? Geopop. https://www.geopop.it/panoramica-dei-56-conflitti-in-corso-nel-mondo-e-davvero-la-terza-guerra-mondiale-a-pezzi/

ACLED. (2024). Conflict Watchlist. ACLED. https://acleddata.com/global-analysis/conflict-watchlist

ISPI. (2015, Maggio 15). 9 maggio: per l’Europa anniversario della pace e dell’integrazione. Istituto per gli studi di politica internazionale. 9 maggio: per l’Europa anniversario della pace e dell’integrazione

OXFAM Italia. (2025, August 5). Quali sono le guerre attuali da conoscere. Oxfam Italia. https://www.oxfamitalia.org/guerre-attuali-nel-mondo/