Wars are raging across our world and most of them are stoked to become perpetual

“War does not determine who is right — only who is left.”
— Bertrand Russell

During the time of presidents angling for Nobel Peace Prizes, and daily news of ceasefires, this is where we stand.  I’ve done a study of war or conflict using two points:

the end of January 2025, and

the current date, in other words, two snapshots separated by more or less six months.

Then I realized I lost the intermediate shorter conflicts and listed those separately.   I was not searching for PhD-level accuracy, but for the states of war and conflict in our world, and wanted to determine whether it is on the rise.  It is on the rise, and more conflicts have a perpetual nature.   Currently, we have 18 conflicts raging.  At the end of January, we had 16.  During the period, nine short-term intermediate conflicts raged.  Some of these you may recognize, and some may be new to you, but they fit the definitions.

This does not include economic war.

The Human Toll of “Forever Wars” and conflict duration generations born in war

Afghanistan 45+ years
Somalia 34+ years
Palestine 76+ years
Eastern DRC 30+ years

These conflicts aren’t natural disasters. They’re human-made — meaning humans can unmake them.

But it demands courage beyond ceasefires: addressing stolen resources, healing trauma, and dismantling the machinery of hate.

As of July 11, 2025, there are numerous active armed conflicts worldwide. Defining a “war” precisely is complex (often requiring 1,000+ battle-related deaths/year), but here is a comprehensive list of major ongoing armed conflicts and wars causing significant violence, based on data from organizations like the Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP), Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), and major international news sources.

Considerations

Fluidity: Conflict intensity and front lines change rapidly. A “ceasefire” today could break down tomorrow.

Definitions: This list focuses on conflicts with sustained, organized armed violence causing significant casualties (often >100 or >1000 battle deaths/year). It includes interstate wars, civil wars, and major insurgencies, lower-level violence, and criminal conflicts.

“Frozen” Conflicts: Areas like Eastern Ukraine (pre-2022), Nagorno-Karabakh (post-2023 ceasefire), and Transnistria (Moldova) remain tense with unresolved political issues and military deployments, but large-scale active fighting is currently paused.

Casualty Thresholds: Many organizations (like UCDP) distinguish between:

War: >= 1,000 battle-related deaths per year.

Armed Conflict: >= 25 battle-related deaths per year.

This list includes conflicts meeting the “war” threshold recently and significant ones near it.

Information Challenges: Data from active war zones is often incomplete, delayed, or biased.

The deadliest and most widespread conflicts currently are generally considered to be: Russia-Ukraine, Israel-Hamas/Gaza, Sudan, Myanmar, and the Sahel Insurgencies (Mali/Burkina Faso).

Databases searched:

• Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED): https://acleddata.com/
• Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP): https://ucdp.uu.se/
• International Crisis Group: https://www.crisisgroup.org/
• Council on Foreign Relations – Global Conflict Tracker: https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker

What we would consider western-style information from these databases was not necessarily removed.   Israel was missing everywhere, and I added that entity, which is clearly running four wars, depending on how you count.

Major International & Civil Wars (High Intensity)

1. Russia-Ukraine War: Full-scale invasion ongoing since February 2022. Front lines remain active, heavy casualties continue.

2. Israel’s genocide: Intense conflict – major Israeli military operation in Gaza continues, with significant spillover violence on Israel’s northern border with Hezbollah (Lebanon) and exchanges with Houthis (Yemen). A severe humanitarian crisis persists.

3. Sudan Civil War: War between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2023. Widespread fighting across the country, ethnic violence, massive displacement, and famine conditions.

4. Myanmar Civil War: Intensified nationwide conflict since the February 2021 military coup. Numerous Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) and People’s Defense Forces (PDFs) are fighting the military junta (Tatmadaw). Control of significant territory is contested.

5. Sahel Insurgencies (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger): Intense Islamist insurgencies (linked to JNIM, IS-GS) against military governments and local forces. Extremist violence, ethnic massacres, and widespread instability dominate the region. Military coups have reshaped the landscape.

6. Syrian Civil War: Although reduced in scale, active conflict continues the Northwest (Idlib): Syrian government (+Russia) vs. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and Turkish-backed rebels, Northeast: Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) vs. Turkish forces & Turkish-backed rebels. Occasional ISIS resurgence, South: Sporadic clashes, ISIS cells.

7. Yemen Civil War: While the main front lines between Houthis and the internationally recognized government (+Saudi-led coalition) have been relatively quiet since the 2022 truce (not formally ended), violence persists. This includes Houthi attacks on shipping, US/UK strikes on Houthis, internal conflicts within anti-Houthi factions, and attacks by AQAP/ISIS branches.

8. Tigray War (Ethiopia) Aftermath: The November 2022 ceasefire largely ended large-scale combat between the Ethiopian government and Tigray forces. However, significant tensions remain, sporadic clashes occur in border areas (especially involving Amhara forces), and the situation is fragile. Other conflicts in Oromia and Amhara regions continue.

9. Somalia Conflict: Ongoing war between the Federal Government of Somalia (backed by AU Mission – ATMIS) and Al-Shabaab militants. Al-Shabaab controls significant rural areas and launches frequent attacks in urban centers.

10. Mexico Drug War: While often classified as criminal violence, the scale and intensity (30,000+ homicides annually for years) involving cartels vs. state forces and cartel vs. cartel warfare meets many definitions of an armed conflict, especially in specific regions.

11. Afghanistan Conflict: The Taliban government faces persistent insurgency from ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K), primarily targeting Taliban forces and minorities. Resistance groups (NRF) also engage in sporadic clashes.

Other Significant Armed Conflicts (Varying Intensity)

12. Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC): Multiple overlapping conflicts, primarily in the east. Key actors include M23 rebels (allegedly Rwanda-backed), numerous other armed groups (FDLR, CODECO, ADF – linked to ISIS), Congolese military (FARDC), and UN/east African forces. Violence is extreme, involving massacres of civilians.

13. Cameroon (Anglophone Crisis): Separatist militias in the English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions fight government forces. Widespread human rights abuses by both sides.

|4 Pakistan Insurgency: Baloch separatist groups and the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) carry out frequent attacks against security forces, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces.

15. Colombia Conflict: Despite the 2016 peace deal with FARC, conflict continues with remaining FARC dissidents (ELN, EMC), other guerrillas, paramilitaries, and cartels, particularly in rural areas.

16. Haiti Gang Violence: Powerful armed gangs control large parts of Port-au-Prince and other cities, engaging in brutal warfare against each other and state forces, causing a catastrophic humanitarian and political crisis. Often exceeds thresholds for “armed conflict.”

17. Central African Republic (CAR) Conflict: Despite peace deals, fighting continues between government forces (often backed by Russian Wagner Group mercenaries) and various rebel coalitions (CPC) controlling large rural areas.

18. Mozambique Insurgency (Cabo Delgado): ISIS-Mozambique continues its insurgency in the north, despite significant counter-offensives by government forces and regional allies (SADC, Rwanda).

Major Ongoing Wars & Conflicts – (as of late January 2025)

High-Intensity Conflicts (1,000+ battle deaths/year)

1. Russia-Ukraine War

2. Israel-Hamas genocide

3. Sudan Civil War (SAF vs. RSF)

4. Myanmar Civil War

5. Sahel Insurgencies (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger)

6. Yemen Civil War

7. Syrian Civil War

Significant Conflicts (25–1,000 battle deaths/year)

8. DRC (Eastern Congo)

9. Cameroon (Anglophone Crisis)

10. Pakistan Insurgencies

11. Colombia Conflict

12. Haiti Gang War

13. Central African Republic (CAR)

14. Mozambique (Cabo Delgado)

15. Nigeria (Banditry & Separatism)

16. Ethiopia (Oromia & Amhara)

Recently “Frozen” or Cooling Conflicts

*(Active political/military tension but low fighting in Jan 2025)*

1. Nagorno-Karabakh: No fighting since Azerbaijan’s Sept 2023 offensive; ~120K ethnic Armenians fled. Russian peacekeepers are present.

2. Tigray (Ethiopia): Nov 2022 ceasefire held, but Amhara-Tigray border disputes simmered.

3. Eastern Ukraine (Pre-2022 lines): Static trench warfare since 2015; minor skirmishes.

Important Context for January 2025

Gaza dominated headlines: Regional escalation risks (Lebanon/Yemen) were the top geopolitical concern.

Sudan’s collapse accelerated: Famine was declared in parts of Darfur by late January.

Sahel military regimes solidified power: France entirely withdrew; Russia filled the vacuum.

Myanmar’s junta was near collapse: China brokered a temporary Shan State truce.

Houthi Red Sea attacks disrupted global trade: 15% of shipping rerouted via Africa.

—-

Short-Term Conflicts (Aug 2024 – Jan 2025)

1. India-Pakistan Border Clashes (Nov 2024)

Duration: 4 days (Nov 17–20, 2024)

Location: Jammu & Kashmir (Line of Control)

Trigger: Attack by suspected Jaish-e-Mohammed militants in Poonch (India) killing 5 soldiers → Indian retaliatory strikes across LoC.

Scale: Heavy mortar/artillery duels, drone incursions.

Casualties: ~35–50 killed (military + militants).

End: De-escalated after U.S./UN mediation; no territorial change.

Source: ACLED, Reuters.

2. Libya: Tripoli Factional Warfare (Jan 2025)

Duration: 12 days (Jan 8–20, 2025)

Factions:

Government of National Unity (GNU) (Tripoli-based)

Libyan National Army (LNA)-aligned militias (from Zawiya/Tarhouna)

Trigger: LNA groups attempted to seize Tripoli port after GNU delayed elections.

Scale: Urban combat, artillery, drones. Turkish-backed GNU forces held key areas.

Casualties: ~200+ killed, 40k displaced.

End: Ceasefire brokered by Egypt/Turkey (Jan 20).

Source: Al Jazeera, Libya Observer.

3. Armenia-Azerbaijan Border Skirmish (Oct 2024)

Duration: 3 days (Oct 4–6, 2024)

Location: Syunik Province (Armenia) / Nakhchivan border.

Trigger: Azerbaijani troops advanced toward Armenian positions near Vardenis.

Scale: Artillery, drone strikes, infantry clashes.

Casualties: ~24 soldiers killed (both sides).

End: Russian-brokered truce; Azerbaijan withdrew.

Source: Caucasus Watch, OC Media.

4. Chad-Sudan Proxy Border War (Dec 2024)

Duration: 2 weeks (Dec 1–14, 2024)

Factions:

Chadian rebels (FACT) backed by Sudan’s RSF

Chadian army backed by SAF remnants

Location: Adré (Chad-Sudan border)

Scale: RSF artillery supported FACT incursion → Chadian airstrikes in Sudan.

Casualties: ~180+ killed, 10k refugees fled into Chad.

End: Chad pushed back rebels; RSF redirected focus to Darfur.

Source: The New Humanitarian, France 24.

5. Ecuador Cartel Uprising (Jan 2025)

Duration: 5 days (Jan 8–12, 2025)

Trigger: Cartels (Los Choneros, Tiguerones) launched coordinated riots/jailbreaks after leader “Fito” transferred.

Scale: Prison riots, police assassinations, car bombs in Guayaquil/Quito.

State Response: Military deployed under “internal armed conflict” decree.

Casualties: 500+ killed (cartels/security forces/civilians).

End: Cartels retreated after military seized prisons.

Source: BBC, ACLED.

6. India-Pakistan: Short but high-risk (nuclear powers).

7. Libya: Part of ongoing power vacuum since 2011; elections still stalled.

8. Chad-Sudan: Spillover from Sudan’s civil war (RSF vs. SAF).

9. Ecuador: Classified as “non-state conflict” (cartels vs. state) but reached war-like intensity.

Why These Aren’t Always Listed

Short duration → Excluded from annual “ongoing war” datasets (e.g., UCDP thresholds require sustained violence).

Localized impact → Often overshadowed by larger wars (Gaza, Ukraine).

Fragmented Power – Non-state actors (warlords, militias, cartels) profit from chaos.  No one can “win,” so violence becomes an economy (e.g., Eastern DRC, Libya).

Proxy Dynamics – External powers fuel conflicts to advance influence.  (This is a highly risable statement, that came out of one of the databases searched. Israel and the US were omitted, but let’s add them and repeat the list:  (Russia, Iran, Turkey, Gulf States, US, Israel)

Climate Collapse Multiplier – 

Droughts → farmland loss → youth join militias (Sahel).

Floods → mass displacement → ethnic violence (South Sudan).

Tech-Enabled Insurgency

Drones ($500) can paralyze armies.  So says the databases but I verified that with an expert only to receive a wonderful explanation of the part and function of drones in modern warfare.  Drones are an organic development of yet another iteration of air power.  In cases, they can act as the poor man’s substitution for massive artillery power.  Drones cannot win wars.

I added this to the information from the databases:  Gaslighting and major false media campaigns in other words hasbarra and intelligent propaganda.  This was a glaring tech-enabled issue when Syria fell and it is continuing.

Social media recruits globally (ISIS, Al-Shabaab).

Failed Peacebuilding

Ceasefires address symptoms (guns), not causes (injustice, resource theft).

Example: 13 peace deals in DRC since 1999 — all failed.

Consequence: Children who know only trauma → and develop into the next wave of fighters.

Rare bright spots:

Colombia’s 2016 deal cut homicide rates by 1/3 (though fragile).

Northern Ireland’s peace held 26+ years — proof hatred can be outlived.

Aceh, Indonesia — post-tsunami peace ended 30-year war.

What works in peacemaking?:

Inclusion of women & youth in talks (research shows 35% more durable).

Economic alternatives to war economies (jobs > demobilization cash).

Local peacebuilders — unsung heroes rebuilding trust village by village.

This needs a much deeper discussion as clearly peacemaking fails.    

Late entry now threatening but not quite at the shooting stage: 

Thailand, Cambodia border dispute

Final Reflection – May we bear witness wisely as we in our world kill others faster than ever before.