PRIO Counts 65 State Conflicts in 2025, With 245,000 Deaths at Post-1946 High
Updated
Updated · DW (English) · Jun 9
PRIO Counts 65 State Conflicts in 2025, With 245,000 Deaths at Post-1946 High
3 articles · Updated · DW (English) · Jun 9
Summary
65 state-involved conflicts were recorded worldwide in 2025, PRIO said, the highest annual total since 1946 and a sign that organized violence is spreading across more fronts at once.
245,000 battle-related deaths made 2025 the third-deadliest post-Cold War year, driven mainly by Russia's war in Ukraine, fighting in Sudan and Israel's bombing campaign in Gaza.
76,500 deaths came from attacks directly targeting civilians, up sharply from 14,200 in 2024, underscoring a steep rise in lethal violence against noncombatants.
8 conflicts between states doubled from 2024 to an 80-year peak, while 35 countries were involved in fighting and several, including Israel, were engaged in multiple theaters simultaneously.
Africa was the most affected continent, and PRIO said the clustering of several major wars over the past five years has kept global conflict intensity persistently high.
As a new Middle East war rages, what is the next domino to fall in the global energy and food crisis?
Will the new US military coalition crush the cartels or ignite an even deadlier war in the Americas?
With AI now deciding life and death in battle, has modern warfare escaped human control for good?
Global Conflict in 2025: Record Civilian Deaths, Fragmented Wars, and the Fracturing International Order
Overview
In 2025, the world faced an unprecedented scale of conflict, with violence escalating across many regions and both state and non-state actors showing little restraint. Monitoring data revealed deadly violence at high levels, and civilians increasingly became direct targets of attacks. This created a tumultuous environment that made peacemaking extremely difficult, allowing long-simmering conflicts to spread further. The dramatic rise in civilian fatalities highlighted the severe impact of these conflicts, especially in places like Sudan. Overall, the year was marked by widespread instability and immense challenges for global peace and security.