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Highest number of conflicts worldwide in 2024 since 1946: Study

A new Norwegian study reveals 2024 saw a record 61 armed conflicts worldwide, highlighting a critical "structural shift" and risks from US disengagement.

June 15, 2025 / 19:33 IST
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A musician plays violin during a demonstration of relatives and friends of Ukrainian prisoners of war named "Where are you?" calling to speed up their exchange, at the Independence Square in Kyiv on June 15. (Image credit: AFP)

The world saw the highest number of armed conflicts in almost 80 years in 2024, dethroning 2023 as a record year, a Norwegian study published Wednesday showed, highlighting the risks linked to a US disengagement. Last year, 61 conflicts were registered in the world across 36 countries, with some countries experiencing several simultaneous conflicts, the report by the Peace Research Institute of Oslo (Prio) said.

In 2023, there were 59 conflicts in 34 countries.

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"This is not just a spike -- it's a structural shift," said Siri Aas Rustad, the main author of the report which covers trends in armed conflicts in the period 1946-2024. "The world today is far more violent, and far more fragmented, than it was a decade ago," she said.

Africa remained the most ravaged continent, with 28 conflicts involving at least one state, followed by Asia with 17, the Middle East with 10, Europe with three and the Americas with two.