One in six people exposed to conflict worldwide in 2025, Pg7

Key Highlights:

• In 2025, an estimated 831 million people globally, or one in six, were exposed to conflict.
• ACLED recorded nearly 2 lakh violent events worldwide in 2025, almost double the number from four years prior.
• Europe experienced the greatest increase in violence due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
• There was a 48% decrease in violent conflicts in West Asia compared to 2024.
• Incidents of violence directed at civilians reached over 56,000 in 2025, the highest in five years.
• Government forces were involved in 74% of violent events worldwide in 2025.
• 469 non-state armed groups have deployed drones at least once in the past five years, a 14% rise compared to last year.

Detailed Insights:

• The report indicates a trend of less restraint and increasing violence targeting civilians, with armed actors more likely to use force without regard for consequences.
• While conflicts persisted in West Asia, ceasefires in Syria, Lebanon, and Gaza led to a significant decrease in violent events.
• State-led violence targeting civilians has increased since 2020, with state forces responsible for 35% of such events in 2025 compared to 20% in 2020.
• Israel and Russia were collectively responsible for about 90% of violent incidents that targeted civilians outside their borders.
• The Myanmar military accounted for nearly a third of violence committed by state forces against its own civilians this year.
• Non-state armed groups caused approximately 60% of fatalities, with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan responsible for over 4,200 civilian deaths.
• The increasing use of commercial drones as weapons by non-state armed groups reflects a shift in contemporary warfare, indicating easier access to advanced technology.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Conflict: A state of discord between persons, groups, or countries, often involving violence.
• State Actor: An entity that acts on behalf of a government or state, including military and law enforcement.
• Non-State Armed Group: Organized groups that use weapons to achieve political or ideological goals, but are not part of a government's official armed forces.