The number of armed conflicts involving states across the globe reached an unprecedented level in 2025, making it the most conflict-ridden year since the end of World War II, according to a new international study. Researchers have also warned of a sharp rise in violence against civilians, highlighting a worsening global security environment marked by multiple simultaneous wars and growing geopolitical tensions.
The findings were published in the annual Conflict Trends report released by the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), which documented 65 state-based conflicts during 2025. This is the highest number recorded since systematic data collection began in 1946. The report paints a grim picture of a world grappling with overlapping crises, prolonged wars and increasing instability.
According to the study, direct conflicts between states also climbed to their highest level in nearly eight decades. A total of eight interstate conflicts were recorded last year, double the number seen in the previous year. These included hostilities involving India and Pakistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan, Cambodia and Thailand, as well as continuing military confrontations linked to the Russia-Ukraine war and Israel’s operations in neighbouring regions.
Researchers described the latest figures as deeply concerning. They noted that the international community is facing a situation where major conflicts are no longer isolated events but are occurring simultaneously across different regions. This continuous cycle of violence, they said, has prevented any meaningful decline in global conflict levels over the past several years.
The report estimated that nearly 245,000 people lost their lives in fighting and political violence during 2025, making it the third-deadliest year since the end of the Cold War. Particularly alarming was the surge in attacks targeting civilians. Deaths directly linked to violence against non-combatants jumped dramatically, reaching approximately 76,500, compared to just over 14,000 the previous year.
Much of the increase in civilian casualties was attributed to the ongoing conflict in Sudan. Researchers pointed to devastating violence in the Darfur region, particularly around El-Fasher, where sieges and large-scale attacks reportedly resulted in tens of thousands of deaths. The report suggested that the scale of suffering in Sudan significantly influenced global casualty figures.
The study noted that only two years since the Cold War era have recorded higher death tolls—1994, during the genocide in Rwanda, and 2021, when conflict intensified in Ethiopia’s Tigray region.
Africa remained the region most affected by state-based conflicts, accounting for nearly half of all such confrontations recorded worldwide. Asia ranked second, followed by the Middle East, the Americas and Europe.
The report, based on data compiled by the Uppsala Conflict Data Program, categorised organised violence into state conflicts, non-state conflicts and one-sided violence against civilians. Researchers warned that increasing political polarisation, weakened international cooperation and the inability of global institutions to effectively address crises have contributed to the deteriorating situation.
Experts involved in the study stressed that the world is experiencing a prolonged period of heightened instability, with several major wars and regional confrontations occurring simultaneously. They cautioned that unless stronger diplomatic efforts and international cooperation emerge, the trend of escalating violence and civilian suffering could continue in the coming years.
