The number of armed conflicts in 2023 was the highest since 1946, despite a decrease in the number of countries involved, according to a Norwegian study published on Monday.
Last year saw 59 conflicts recorded worldwide, nearly half of which were in Africa (28), according to the report by the Peace Research Institute in Oslo (PRIO), which focused on trends between 1946 and 2023.
However, the number of countries experiencing conflict fell from 39 in 2022 to 34 in 2023. Similarly, combat deaths halved to approximately 122,000, based on data gathered by Uppsala University from international organisations and NGOs.
This tally, bolstered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the Israel-Palestine conflict, is nevertheless the third-highest since 1989.
"The level of violence in the world has not been this high since the end of the Cold War," observed PRIO researcher and chief editor of the report, Siri Aas Rustad. "The figures suggest conflict scenarios are becoming more complex, with an increasing number of active belligerents within a single country."
PRIO explained that the rise in the number of conflicts is partly due to the spread of jihadist group Islamic State (ISIS) in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, as well as the growing involvement of non-state actors, such as the jihadists of Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam Wal-Muslimin (JNIM).
After Africa, the regions most affected by armed conflicts were Asia (17 conflicts), the Middle East (10), Europe (3), and the Americas (1).
