A new study has revealed that 2024 was the most conflict-ridden year since the end of the Second World War, with a surge in warfare and civilian casualties underscoring a worrying global trend toward greater violence.
According to the Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP) at Uppsala University, last year witnessed 61 state-based conflicts — the highest number recorded in nearly eight decades. Of those, 11 were classified as full-scale wars, each claiming at least 1,000 battle-related deaths. These included Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine, the war in Gaza, Israel’s actions in southern Lebanon, and internal conflicts in countries like Myanmar, Sudan, and Syria.
“2024 was the fourth-most violent year globally since the Rwandan genocide in 1994,” said Shawn Davies, a senior analyst at the UCDP. “While the overall death toll slightly decreased from the exceptionally bloody year of 2022, the number of individual conflicts has continued to rise — a clear sign that the world has not become more peaceful.”
In total, nearly 160,000 people died as a result of organized violence in 2024. Although this figure is slightly below the 2022 death toll, it represents the fifth-highest number since 1989.
The deadliest conflict of the year was the war in Ukraine, with approximately 76,000 battle-related deaths. Civilians have borne a heavy burden in many of these wars. In Gaza, where Israeli forces responded to Hamas attacks with a prolonged bombardment, researchers were only able to classify 2 percent of the dead as combatants. Nearly half — 48 percent — were confirmed civilians.
“Combatants are increasingly failing to distinguish between civilians and fighters,” said Therese Pettersson, another UCDP researcher. “This has led to a rise in deliberate targeting of civilians.”
In 2024 alone, 13,900 civilians died in targeted attacks — a 31 percent increase from the previous year. The Islamic State group was responsible for roughly 3,800 of these deaths, primarily in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The report also highlights a sharp rise in interstate conflict and proxy wars. “We’ve recorded more interstate conflicts in 2024 than in any year since 1987,” said Davies. “States are increasingly supporting armed groups in other nations, a dangerous trend that risks escalating violence further.”
This data will be officially published in the Journal of Peace Research and comes amid growing concerns from global leaders about the mounting threats to international security. Experts warn that unless concerted diplomatic and humanitarian efforts are made, the cycle of violence could continue to intensify.
While 1994 remains the deadliest year since World War II — largely due to the Rwandan genocide, which left more than 800,000 dead — the current trajectory of global conflict suggests that the world may be edging toward another grim chapter of sustained warfare.
