Interstate Conflicts Reach Unprecedented Levels
The number of conflicts involving states has surged dramatically in 2025, reaching its highest point since the end of World War II. Analysis from the Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP) reveals a record total number of armed conflicts globally, with interstate wars doubling for the second consecutive year.
Data indicates that the number of conflicts between states rose from two in 2023 to eight in 2025. This figure represents the most significant number of interstate conflicts recorded since UCDP began its data collection in 1946. Notable conflicts contributing to this surge include the ongoing wars between Russia and Ukraine, and Iran and Israel, alongside tensions between India and Pakistan, and Israel and Syria.
“We are observing a distinct escalation in conflicts between nations,” stated Shawn Davies, a senior analyst at UCDP. “For a considerable period, wars between states were infrequent. However, recent developments point to heightened international tensions and a shifting global security landscape.”
Fatalities Mount as Violence Intensifies
The overall number of conflicts where states were involved on at least one side reached 65 in 2025, another record high since 1946. Thirteen of these were classified as wars, defined by at least 1,000 battle-related deaths within a calendar year. This marks the highest number of war classifications since 1992.
The year also saw a sharp increase in fatalities among both combatants and civilians. An estimated 244,600 individuals perished due to organized violence in 2025, making it the second-deadliest year on record, surpassed only by the Rwandan genocide in 1994.
“The situation is characterized not only by an increase in the sheer number of conflicts but also by exceptionally high levels of deadly violence,” commented Therese Pettersson, a senior analyst and project leader at UCDP. “Crucially, we are witnessing a dramatic rise in violence specifically targeting civilians, with Sudan being a particularly concerning area.”
Sudan Violence Drives Civilian Casualties to Record Highs
The war between Russia and Ukraine remained the world’s deadliest conflict in 2025, accounting for approximately 94,700 fatalities, which is about 62% of all battle-related deaths globally. Other major conflicts contributing to the high death toll included the war between Israel and Hamas, and the conflict in Sudan.
In Sudan, violence directed unilaterally against civilians saw a significant escalation. Reports indicate widespread massacres of civilians occurred following the capture of El Fasher in Darfur by the paramilitary Sudan Founding Alliance (SFA).
“Civilians have endured extreme levels of violence throughout the conflict in Sudan since 2023, but the events in El Fasher in 2025 are historically significant,” Pettersson explained. “These events are the primary driver behind the highest number of deaths from one-sided violence recorded in over three decades.”
UCDP recorded approximately 76,500 deaths from one-sided violence in 2025, a more than 400% increase from the previous year. This is the highest figure observed since 1994.
Non-State Conflicts Continue Decline
Despite the rise in state-involved conflicts, the number of non-state conflicts continued its downward trend. Conflicts between non-state groups, such as those involving drug cartels in Mexico, resulted in an estimated 14,500 deaths in 2025, the lowest figure recorded since 2013.
Further details on these findings are available in a comprehensive analysis of organized violence from 1989–2025, published in the Journal of Peace Research.
