Hot spots on the modern political map of the world. Apparat – Magazine about the new society

It seems that today wars are a thing of the past: even the latest studies show that in the third millennium significantly fewer people die during armed conflicts. However, the unstable situation remains in many regions, and hot spots continue to appear on the map every now and then.

1.IRAQ

Participants: Government forces, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), scattered Sunni groups, autonomy of Iraqi Kurdistan.

The essence of the conflict: The terrorist organization ISIS wants to build a caliphate - an Islamic theocratic state - on part of the territories of Iraq and Syria, and so far the authorities have not been able to successfully resist the militants. The Iraqi Kurds took advantage of the ISIS offensive - they freely captured several large oil-producing regions and are planning to secede from Iraq.

2. Gaza Strip

Participants: Israel Defense Forces, Hamas, Fatah, civilians in the Gaza Strip.
The essence of the conflict: Israel launched Operation Unbreakable Wall to destroy the infrastructure of the Hamas terrorist movement and other terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip region. The immediate cause was the increased frequency of rocket attacks on Israeli territories and the kidnapping of three Jewish teenagers.

3.Syria

Participants: Syrian Armed Forces, National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, Syrian Kurdistan, Al-Qaeda, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Islamic Front, Ahrar al-Sham, Al-Nusra Front and other

The essence of the conflict: The war in Syria began after the harsh suppression of anti-government demonstrations that began in the region in the wake of the Arab Spring. The armed confrontation between the army of Bashar al-Assad and the moderate opposition escalated into a civil war that affected the entire country - now in Syria about 1,500 different rebel groups with a total number of 75 to 115 thousand people have joined the conflict. The most powerful armed groups are radical Islamists.

4.Ukraine

Participants: Armed Forces of Ukraine, National Guard of Ukraine, Security Service of Ukraine, militias of the Donetsk People's Republic, militias of the Lugansk People's Republic, Russian Orthodox Army, Russian volunteers and others.

The essence of the conflict: After the annexation of Crimea to Russia and the change of power in Kyiv in the South-East of Ukraine in April of this year, the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics were proclaimed by pro-Russian armed formations. The Ukrainian government and newly elected President Poroshenko launched a military operation against the separatists.

5.Nigeria

Participants: Government troops, Boko Haram.

The essence of the conflict: Since 2002, the radical Islamist sect Boko Haram has been operating in Nigeria, which advocates the introduction of Sharia law throughout the country, while only part of the state is inhabited by Muslims. Over the past five years, Boko Haram followers have armed themselves and now regularly carry out terrorist attacks, kidnappings and mass executions. The victims of terrorists are Christians and secular Muslims. The country's leadership has failed negotiations with Boko Haram and is not yet able to suppress the group, which already controls entire regions.

6.South Sudan

Participants: Dinka Tribal Union, Nuer Tribal Union, UN peacekeeping forces, Uganda.

The essence of the conflict: At the height of the political crisis in December 2013, the President of South Sudan announced that his former comrade-in-arms and vice-president had attempted to stage a military coup in the country. Mass arrests and riots began, which subsequently escalated into violent armed clashes between two tribal unions: the country’s president belongs to the Nuer, which dominates politics and the population, and the disgraced vice-president and his supporters belong to the Dinka, the second largest ethnic group in the state.

7.Mexico

Participants: More than 10 drug cartels, government troops, police, self-defense units.

The essence of the conflict: For several decades in Mexico there was enmity between drug cartels, but the corrupt government tried not to interfere in the struggle of groups for drug traffic. That changed when newly elected President Felipe Calderon sent regular army troops into one of the states in 2006 to restore order there. The confrontation escalated into a war between the combined police and army forces against dozens of drug cartels across the country.

8.Central Asia

Participants: Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan.

The essence of the conflict: The tense situation in the region is maintained by Afghanistan, which has been unstable for decades, on the one hand, and Uzbekistan, which is entering into territorial disputes, on the other. The main drug traffic in the Eastern Hemisphere also passes through these countries - a powerful source of regular armed clashes between criminal groups.

9.China and countries in the region

Participants: China, Vietnam, Japan, Philippines.

The essence of the conflict: China is again talking about territorial claims against Vietnam. The disputes concern the small but strategically important Paracel Islands and the Spratly archipelago. The conflict is exacerbated by the militarization of Japan. Tokyo decided to revise its peace constitution, begin militarization and increase its military presence in the Senkaku Archipelago, which is also claimed by the PRC.

10.Sahel region

Participants: France, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Sudan, Eritrea and other neighboring countries.

The essence of the conflict: In 2012, the Sahel region experienced a major humanitarian crisis: the negative consequences of the crisis in Mali coincided with severe food shortages. During the civil war, most Tuaregs from Libya emigrated to northern Mali. There they proclaimed the independent state of Azawad. In 2013, the Malian military accused the president of failing to deal with the separatists and staged a military coup. At the same time, France sent its troops into Mali to fight the Tuaregs and the radical Islamists who joined them from neighboring countries. The Sahel is home to the largest markets for arms, slaves, drugs on the African continent and the main hideouts for dozens of terrorist organizations.

The most terrible periods in the history of mankind are world wars, which entailed huge losses of human lives. The last such war died down in 1945, but local armed conflicts still break out in the world, due to which certain regions turn into hot spots - places of confrontation with the use of firearms.

Iraq

There are as many as 11 hot spots in Asia. Separatism, terrorism, civil war, interethnic and interreligious conflicts have led to the fact that a number of countries have armed conflicts on their territory. Among them:

• Iran;
• Israel;
• Palestine;
• Lebanon;
• Afghanistan;
• Pakistan;
• Sri Lanka;
• Myanmar;
• Philippines;
• Indonesia.

But the fiercest fighting is taking place in Iraq, a hotspot where terrorism is rampant. Government troops are trying to confront the notorious organization IS (formerly ISIS), which intends to create an Islamic theocratic state in the country. The terrorists have already included a number of cities in the caliphate, of which the government managed to recapture only two. The situation is complicated by the fact that at the same time, disparate Sunni groups, as well as Kurds, are operating, seizing large regions with the goal of separating from the country and creating autonomy for Iraqi Kurdistan.

IS controls not only Iraq, but also parts of Syria, which has practically liberated itself from the influence of the group, as well as small captured territories of Afghanistan, Egypt, Yemen, Libya, Nigeria, Somalia and Congo. They claim responsibility for a range of terrorist attacks, from an artillery bombing in 2007 to an attack on police and a supermarket hostage-taking in Trebe in March 2018.

In addition, militants do not hesitate to kill civilians, capture military personnel, destroy culture, human trafficking and the use of chemical weapons.

Gaza Strip

The list of hot spots in the world continues with the Middle East, where Israel, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories are located. The civilian population of the Gaza Strip is under the yoke of the terrorist organizations Hamas and Fatah, whose infrastructure the defense army is trying to destroy. This hot spot in the world has seen rocket attacks and child abductions.

The reason for this is the Arab-Israeli conflict, which involves Arab groups and the Zionist movement. It all started with the founding of Israel, which captured several regions in the Six-Day War, among them the Gaza Strip. Subsequently, the League of Arab States offered to resolve the conflict peacefully if the occupied territories were liberated, but an official response was never received.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Islamist movement began to rule in the Gaza Strip. Military operations were regularly carried out against him, the most notorious of the latter being called “Unbreakable Rock”. It was provoked by a terrorist attack involving the kidnapping and murder of three Jewish teenagers, two of whom were 16 and one 19 years old. The terrorists responsible for this resisted arrest and were killed.

Currently, Israel is conducting operations to counter terrorists, but militants often violate the terms of the truce and do not allow humanitarian aid to be provided. The civilian population is heavily involved in the conflict.

Syria

Another one of the hottest spots in the world is Syria. Its residents, along with Iran, suffer from the seizure of territories by IS militants, and at the same time, the Arab-Israeli conflict is active in it.

Syria, along with Egypt and Jordan, was at enmity with Israel immediately after its creation. “Guerrilla wars” took place, attacks were carried out on holy days, and all proposals for peace negotiations were rejected. Now there is a “ceasefire line” between the warring states, instead of an official border, and the confrontation continues to be acute.

In addition to the Arab-Israeli conflict, the situation inside the country is also turbulent. It all started with the suppression of anti-government uprisings, which developed into a civil war. About 100 thousand people participate in it as part of various groups. The armed forces are confronted by a huge number of opposition groups, of which radical Islamists are the most powerful.

In this hot spot of the world, the army currently controls most of the territory, but the northern regions are part of the caliphate founded by the terrorist organization ISIS. The Syrian President authorizes attacks on the city of Aleppo, controlled by militants. But the struggle is not only between the state and the opposition; many groups are at enmity with each other. Thus, the “Islamist Front” and Syrian Kurdistan are actively opposing the Islamic State.

East of Ukraine

The CIS countries did not escape the sad fate. The aspirations of individual territories for autonomy, interethnic conflicts, terrorist attacks, and the threat of civil war endanger the lives of civilians. Hot spots in Russia include:

• Dagestan;
• Ingushetia;
• Kabardino-Balkaria;
• North Ossetia.

The most fierce battles took place in Chechnya. The war in this republic claimed many human lives, destroyed the infrastructure of the subject, and led to brutal acts of terrorism. Fortunately, the conflict has now been resolved. Neither in the Chechen Republic nor in other regions are there armed uprisings, so we can say that at the moment there are no hot spots in Russia. But the situation still cannot be considered stable.

Conflicts also arise in the following countries:

• Moldova;
• Azerbaijan;
• Kyrgyzstan;
• Tajikistan.

The hottest spot is considered to be the East of Ukraine. Dissatisfaction with the rule of President Yanukovych in 2010-2013 led to numerous protests. The change of power in Kyiv, the annexation of Crimea to Russia, which Ukraine perceived as occupation, and the formation of new people's republics - Donetsk and Lugansk - led to open confrontation with the use of firearms. Military operations are constantly carried out against militias. The Armed Forces, the National Guard, the Security Service, the Russian Orthodox Army, Russian volunteers and other parties are taking part in the conflict. Air defense systems and anti-aircraft missile systems are being used, ceasefire agreements are being violated, and thousands of people are dying.

From time to time, the armed forces manage to recapture individual cities from the separatists, for example, the latest success was Slavyansk, Kramatorsk, Druzhkovka, Konstantinovka.

central Asia

The geography of the world's hot spots affects a number of Central Asian countries, some of which belong to the CIS. The sites of armed conflicts are Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Pakistan (South Asia). But the leader among these countries is Afghanistan, in which the Taliban regularly carries out explosions as terrorist acts. In addition, the Taliban shoot children. The reason could be anything: from a child learning English to accusing a seven-year-old boy of espionage. It is common to kill children as revenge against their uncooperative parents.

Meanwhile, Uzbekistan is bitterly contesting the territorial borders with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan formed after the collapse of the USSR. When forming the union, the ethnic and socio-economic nuances of the territories were indeed not taken into account, but then the borders were internal, and troubles were avoided. Now disagreement with the division of territory threatens armed conflict.

Nigeria

The record holder for the number of hot spots on the planet is Africa. In addition to terrorism and separatism, it is an area of ​​the Ethiopian-Eritrean conflict, and is also plagued by piracy, civil wars and liberation wars. This affected a number of countries, including:

• Algeria;
• Sudan;
• Eritrea;
• Somalia;
• Morocco;
• Liberia;
• Congo;
• Rwanda;
• Burundi;
• Mozambique;
• Angola.

In Nigeria, meanwhile, ethnic conflict breaks out every now and then. The Boko Haram sect is fighting to transform the state into a Muslim one, while a significant part of the population professes Christianity. The organization managed to arm itself, and it does not disdain any means to achieve its goal: terrorist actions are carried out, mass executions are carried out, people are kidnapped. Not only adherents of other religions suffer from them, but also secular-minded Muslims.

Entire regions are under the control of Boko Haram, government troops equipped with outdated weapons are unable to suppress the rebels, and negotiations are not yielding a positive result. As a result, a state of emergency has been declared in some states, and the president is asking for financial assistance from other countries. Among the sect's latest high-profile crimes is the kidnapping of 2014, when 276 schoolgirls were taken hostage to be sold into slavery, most of them remain in captivity.

South Sudan

Sudan in Africa is also considered a hot spot in the world. The political crisis that arose in the country led to attempts at a military coup by the vice president belonging to the Nuer tribal union. The president announced that the uprising had been successfully suppressed, but later began to reshuffle the leadership and removed almost all representatives of the Nuer union from it. There was another uprising, followed by mass arrests by Dinka supporters of the incumbent president. The riots escalated into armed clashes. The initially stronger Dinka alliance lost control of the oil-producing areas to the rebels. The state's economy inevitably suffered from this.

As a result of the conflicts, more than 10 thousand people died, 700 thousand became refugees. The UN condemned the actions of not only the rebels, but also the government, since both sides resorted to torture, violence and brutal killings of representatives of the other tribe. To protect civilians, UN peacekeeping forces sent assistance, but the situation cannot yet be resolved. The troops of Uganda, located nearby, are on the side of the official government. The rebel leader has expressed a willingness to negotiate, but the situation is complicated by the fact that many of the rebels have escaped the control of the former vice president.

Sahel region

The people of the tropical savanna of the Sahel, unfortunately, are accustomed to starvation. Back in the 20th century, there were large-scale droughts, due to which the population was severely short of food. But the terrible situation has repeated itself now; statistics say that 11 million people are starving in the region. Now this is due to the humanitarian crisis that has erupted in Mali. The northeastern part of the republic was captured by Islamists, who founded the self-proclaimed state of Azawad on its territory.

The president was unable to correct the situation, and a military coup was carried out in Mali. Tuaregs and radical Islamists who have joined them operate on the territory of the state. The French army is helping government troops.

Mexico

In North America, the hot spot is Mexico, where herbal and synthetic drugs are not only produced, but sold and shipped to other countries in huge quantities. There are huge drug cartels with a forty-year history that began with the resale of prohibited substances and are now producing them themselves. They mainly deal in opium, heroin, cannabis, cocaine and methamphetamine. At the same time, corrupt government agencies assist them in this.

At first, conflicts arose only between warring drug cartels, but the new president of Mexico decided to correct the situation and stop illegal production. Police and army forces have been involved in the standoff, but the government has so far failed to make significant improvements.

Cartels that have developed under the guise of government agencies are well-connected; they have their people among the top leadership, buy up the armed forces, and hire public relations agents in order to influence popular opinion. As a result, self-defense units were formed in various states of the state that did not trust the police.

Their sphere of influence extends not only to the drug business, but also to prostitution, counterfeit products, trade in weapons and even software.

Corsica

Hot spots in Europe are represented by several countries, including Serbia, Macedonia and Spain. Corsican separatism also causes a lot of trouble. The organization, operating in the south of France, fights for independence and recognition of the political independence of the island. According to the rebels' demands, the inhabitants should be called the people of Corsica, and not the French.

Corsica is considered a special economic zone, but has never achieved complete independence. But the rebels do not give up trying to achieve what they want and carry out active terrorist activities. Most often their victims are foreigners. The National Liberation Front is financed through smuggling, robbery, and drug trafficking. France is trying to resolve the conflict through compromises and concessions.

These 10 hot spots in the world are still a threat today. But besides them, there are many other regions where the lives of the population are in danger. For example, the constantly flaring conflict in Turkey between the capital and a military political party, dating back to 2015, and periodic terrorist attacks in Istanbul are dangerous for the indigenous population and tourists. This also includes the humanitarian disaster in Yemen, the political crisis in the Republic of Congo, and the armed conflict in Myanmar.

Short periods of calm at these points are followed by even more violent clashes. The worst thing is that in this confrontation, civilians are dying, people are being deprived of their homes and a quiet life, and are turning into refugees. However, hopes for resolving conflicts remain, because the military forces of many countries are dedicated to this.

War has accompanied humanity throughout the history of its existence. Twice during the 20th century, bloody madness literally captured the whole world - these events were called world wars. At the end of World War II, it seemed that politicians had found a way to end armed conflicts once and for all, but this opinion turned out to be wrong. The scale has changed, the form of confrontation has undergone a transformation, but the war itself has not disappeared. To this day, pockets of tension or so-called hot spots continue to exist in the world.

The most problematic region is the Middle East. Despite regular peacekeeping operations carried out by the international community with the active support of Washington, the Middle Eastern countries not only have not forgotten the horrors of war, but, on the contrary, destruction has occurred even where there were no such prerequisites for it. The overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq had catastrophic long-term consequences. He was overthrown in 2003 by an American invasion and executed in 2006. And even after a decade, the country cannot return to pre-war levels. Some of its areas are controlled by the Islamic State terrorist group banned in Russia.

“IS” feels at ease in the Middle East thanks to the political instability reigning in the region. The best way for terrorists to gain a foothold in Syria was after Washington began helping the opposition seeking to overthrow the country’s legitimate president, Bashar al-Assad, by armed means. The fact that the American army did not directly participate in operations against government forces made it possible to preserve the state as such, however, large areas of Syria were taken under the control of the Islamic State and other terrorist groups.

The situation changed dramatically after the start of an operation by the Russian Aerospace Forces to strike militant positions. What the Western coalition could not do in several years, Russia managed in less than a year. After the terrorists began to suffer one defeat after another, and government forces began to strengthen themselves in newly occupied positions, the opposition also expressed its readiness for dialogue to resolve the situation peacefully. However, experts warn that it is too early to talk about a final victory over ISIS.

Nevertheless, the liberation of the ancient city of Palmyra became a striking symbol of the victory of civilization over barbarism, good over evil, order over chaos. Terrorists turned it into a real testing ground, destroyed ancient artifacts, carried out show executions and plundered thousand-year-old valuables. However, with the support of the Aerospace Forces, Syrian forces were able to drive the militants out of the city. Then Russian sappers took charge of it, taking care of the safety of both ancient monuments and people. The apotheosis of the liberation of Palmyra was the concert of the Mariinsky Theater Symphony Orchestra. Where until recently militants killed people with impunity, Bach’s music began to sound.

Libya, located in North Africa, has become another victim of political instability. There, the United States directly supported the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi, who had led the country since 1969. However, when armed militants executed the “bloody dictator” in 2011, the country was truly overwhelmed by a wave of violence and death. The new government was recognized only in half of the territory of Libya, but even there there is no talk of peaceful life yet. Groups of very different views, united only by an extreme degree of radicalism, are fiercely fighting for power, simultaneously turning the ruins of once relatively prosperous cities into dust.

In addition to all the troubles, the Islamic State has also chosen Libya because it can fearlessly build its bases in this country - there is simply no strength to resist armed aggression and the new government, it is busy fighting for its own survival. Even US President Barack Obama was forced to admit that invading Libya and overthrowing Gaddafi was a mistake. However, awareness of this fact did not in any way protect Washington from similar steps in other countries.

Meanwhile, terrorists, feeling their impunity, create training bases in Libya, after which they undermine the situation in other countries in the region. In particular, Tunisia suffers greatly from militants. The country's authorities have even developed a project to create a wall on the border with Libya. However, many understand that this is not a solution, and it is necessary to fight the cause of terrorism, and not isolate ourselves from it.

A country that has not known peaceful life for decades is Afghanistan. Serious problems with the terrorist threat in the country began after the United States began supporting the Taliban movement. Experts note that this is how al-Qaeda emerged, responsible for many acts of intimidation around the world, the largest of which were the September 11 terrorist attacks. The Taliban continue to wage war against the legitimate government of Afghanistan to this day. At the same time, the United States is now on the side of the legitimate government, but over the years the operation has failed to achieve significant success. Despite the fact that reports of open armed clashes or terrorist attacks are not coming from Afghanistan so often, it continues to be a hot spot on the planet.

Another source of instability is located directly in Europe. We are talking about a military operation launched by Kiev against the population of Donbass. It all started with a coup d'etat in Ukraine, which was supported by European and American politicians. All promises made to Viktor Yanukovych, who then headed the country, were forgotten, and he was forced to flee to Russia, saving his life.

The new government decided to radically fight all dissenters. And although the West expressed serious concerns about the legal actions of the police towards protesters when Yanukovych led the country, after his ouster the authorities were given carte blanche, and neither politicians nor human rights activists spoke out against it when Kiev began shelling residential areas of Donbass. Thus began an open armed conflict. A militia appeared to protect the interests of the inhabitants of the region, which was able to stop the advance of the security forces.

As a result, the situation, in conditions where Kyiv does not have enough forces to launch a new offensive, but there is no political determination to stop the war, turned out to be frozen. The conflicting parties met in Minsk, where they signed a ceasefire agreement. Russia, Germany and France acted as international observers. Despite the fact that the Ukrainian side agreed to the conditions, it is in no hurry to fulfill its obligations. However, the international community has repeatedly emphasized that there is no way out of the Ukrainian crisis other than a political one.

The simmering conflict continues in Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenia and Azerbaijan were drawn into it, and Russia acts as a restraining force, calling on the parties not to aggravate the situation, but to sit down at the negotiating table. It was her efforts that proved decisive during the latest escalation, when military clashes resumed in Nagorno-Karabakh. The sides pulled together armed forces and equipment to the borders and fired from heavy weapons. However, a large-scale war was avoided. However, the truce established in the region is still very fragile and risks collapsing at the slightest provocation.

In Asia, tensions are brewing on the India-Pakistan border. The situation is aggravated by the fact that Islamabad at one time received significant support from Washington. At that time, the policy of the Pakistani authorities supporting the Taliban was consistent with American foreign policy interests, but now relations between the countries have cooled. In particular, it became known that the United States refused to provide Pakistan with a loan for the purchase of their F-16 fighters. However, experts fear that the country has already made a serious technological leap in terms of weapons. In particular, experts are considering the possibility of a nuclear conflict between New Delhi and Islamabad. In this case, from a local conflict, this hot spot risks turning into a funeral pyre for the entire civilization. However, analysts are confident that other conflicts still raging in the world have similar destructive potential, so they must be treated with extreme caution.

Hot spots of the world

Today it may seem that all terrible wars are a thing of the distant past. But this is not true at all. Despite the fact that, according to research, far fewer people die as a result of military actions in the 21st century than in previous centuries, hot spots flare up in different regions of our planet. Armed conflicts, military crises - humanity will probably never lay down its arms.

The hot spots of the planet are like old wounds that still cannot heal. For some time, conflicts fade away, but then flare up again and again, bringing pain and suffering to humanity. The International Crisis Group has named hotspot regions on our planet that are threatening the world right now.

Iraq

The conflict occurred between the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) and government forces, as well as other religious and ethnic groups in the country. Thus, ISIS terrorists announced that they were going to create an Islamic state – a caliphate – in the territories of Syria and Iraq. Of course, the current government opposed it.

However, at the moment it is not possible to resist the militants. Military hotspots are flaring up across the country, and the ISIS caliphate is expanding its borders. Today it is a huge territory from the borders of Baghdad to the Syrian city of Aleppo. The troops of the current government were able to liberate only two large cities from terrorists - Uja and Tikrit.

The Autonomy of Iraqi Kurdistan took advantage of the difficult situation in the country. During ISIS offensives, the Kurds seized control of several major oil production areas. And today they announced a referendum and secession from Iraq.

Gaza Strip

The Gaza Strip has been on the list of hot spots for a long time. Conflicts between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas have flared up again and again for decades. The main reason is the reluctance of the parties to listen to each other's arguments.

Thus, Israel launched a military operation in order to destroy the infrastructure of underground tunnels and warehouses with stocks of Palestinian weapons in order to deprive terrorists of the opportunity to attack Israeli territory. Hamas demands the removal of the economic blockade of the Gaza Strip and the release of prisoners.

The immediate cause of the fighting that has now unfolded in the Gaza Strip was the death of three Israeli teenagers, and in response to this, the murder of a Palestinian. And on July 17, 2014, the next military action began: tanks drove in, missiles flew.

Several times during this time the parties were planning to conclude a truce, but all attempts to reach an agreement led nowhere. Shells are still exploding, people are dying, and journalists in hot spots are taking such pictures that it’s scary to watch...

Syria

The military conflict in Syria flared up after the authorities brutally suppressed opposition demonstrations that broke out under the auspices of the Arab Spring. Clashes between the government army under the command of Bashar al-Assad and the coalition of Syrian armed forces led to a real war. It affected almost the entire country: about 1,500 groups (al-Nusra Front, ISIS and others) joined the military action, more than 100 thousand citizens took up arms. Radical Islamists have become the most powerful and dangerous.

Hot spots are scattered throughout the country today. After all, Syria is under the control of a variety of terrorist gangs. Most of the country is currently controlled by government forces. The north of the state is completely captured by ISIS fighters. Although in some places the Kurds are still trying to win back territory. Not far from the capital, militants from an organized group called the Islamic Front have become more active. And in the city of Aleppo, there are skirmishes between Assad’s military forces and the moderate opposition.

South Sudan

The country is divided into two opposing tribal unions - the Nuer and the Dinka. The Nuer are the predominant population of the state, including the current president. The Dinka are the second largest people in South Sudan.

The conflict erupted after the President of Sudan announced to the public that his assistant, the Vice President, was trying to provoke a coup in the country. Immediately after his speech, mass unrest, protests and numerous arrests began in the country. Complete devastation and disorganization resulted in a real military conflict.

Today, the oil-producing areas of the country are hot spots. They are under the rule of rebels led by a disgraced vice president. This had a negative impact on the economic component of Sudan. The civilian population of the country also suffered greatly: more than ten thousand victims, about seven hundred thousand were forced to become refugees. In order to somehow resolve this conflict, the UN sent its peacekeeping contingent to South Sudan, which was supposed to serve as protection for the civilian population.

In the spring of 2014, militant alliances tried to come to some kind of compromise. However, the rebel leader openly admitted that he had long ago lost power over the rebels. In addition, peace negotiations were prevented by Ugandan troops acting on the side of the Sudanese president.

Nigeria

A terrorist Islamic organization called Boko Haram has been operating in the country since 2002. The main goal they pursue is the establishment of Sharia law throughout Nigeria. However, both the authorities and the majority of citizens are against this “proposal”, since Muslims do not constitute the majority in the country.

Since its founding, the group has significantly expanded its influence, armed itself well and began to openly kill Christians, as well as those Muslims who are loyal to them. Terrorists carry out terrorist attacks and publicly execute people every day. In addition, they periodically take hostages. Thus, in April 2014, more than two hundred schoolgirls were captured by Islamists. They hold them for ransom, as well as prostitution and sale into slavery.

The government of the country has repeatedly tried to come to an agreement with the terrorists, but no negotiations have worked out. Today, entire regions of the country are under the control of the group. And the authorities are unable to cope with the current situation. The President of Nigeria has requested financial assistance from the international community in order to increase the combat capability of the country's army, which is currently losing to extremists.

Sahel region

The crisis began back in 2012, when, due to the hostilities taking place in Libya, Tuaregs poured into Mali en masse. In the northern part of the country they formed a state called Azawad. However, less than a year later, a military coup broke out in the self-proclaimed power. Taking advantage of the situation, France sent its troops into Mali to help fight the Tuaregs and radical Islamists who control the area. In general, today the Sahel has become a stronghold of the slave trade, drug trafficking, arms sales and prostitution.

Military strife eventually led to widespread famine. According to the UN, more than eleven million people in the region are without food, and if the situation is not resolved, then by the end of 2014 this figure will increase by another seven million. However, no changes for the better are expected yet: throughout Mali, hostilities between the government, the French, the Tuaregs and terrorists are in full swing. And this despite the fact that the state of Azawad no longer exists.

Mexico

In Mexico, there has been a constant confrontation between local drug cartels for decades. The authorities never touched them, as they were completely corrupt. And this was no secret to anyone. However, when Felipe Calderon was elected president of the country in 2006, everything changed. The new head of the country decided to change the existing situation once and for all and sent the army to one of the states to deal with crime and restore law and order. This didn't lead to anything good. The confrontation between government soldiers and bandits ended in a war in which the entire country eventually found itself.

In the eight years since the conflict began, drug cartels have gained power, authority and significantly expanded their borders. If previously they fought among themselves over the quantity and quality of drug products, today they argue over highways, ports and coastal cities. The markets for weapons, prostitution, and counterfeit products were under the control of the mafia. Government troops are clearly losing in this fight. And the reason for this is corruption. It gets to the point that many military personnel simply go over to the side of the drug cartels. In some regions of the country, local residents also spoke out against the mafia: they organized people's militias. By this, people want to show that they absolutely do not trust either the authorities or the local police.

Hot spots of Central Asia

Tension in the region is created by Afghanistan, where wars have not subsided for many decades, as well as Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, which have become involved in territorial disputes with each other. Another reason for constant conflicts in the region is the main drug trafficking in the Eastern Hemisphere. Because of him, local criminal gangs constantly clash.

It seemed that after the Americans removed their military from Afghanistan, calm had finally come to the country. However, it did not last long. After the presidential elections, a lot of dissatisfied people appeared who refused to recognize the vote as legitimate. Taking advantage of the situation in the country, the terrorist organization Taliban began to capture the capital of Afghanistan.

In the winter of 2014, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan became involved in territorial disputes, which was accompanied by military operations in the border areas. Tajikistan stated that Kyrgyzstan had violated existing borders. In turn, the Kyrgyz government accused them of the same thing. Since the collapse of the USSR, conflicts have periodically arisen between these countries over the existing designation of borders, but there is still no clear division. Uzbekistan also intervened in the dispute, presenting its own claims. The question is still the same: the country’s authorities do not agree with the borders that were formed after the collapse of the USSR. The states have already tried more than once to somehow resolve the situation, but they have not come to an agreement or a concrete solution to the issue. At the moment, the atmosphere in the region is extremely tense and could result in military action at any moment.

China and countries of the region

Today the Paracel Islands are the hot spots of the planet. The conflict began with the fact that the Chinese suspended the development of oil wells near the archipelago. This did not please Vietnam and the Philippines, which sent their troops to Hanoi. To show the Chinese their attitude to the current situation, the military of both countries played an exhibition football match on the territory of the Spratly archipelago. This angered Beijing: Chinese warships appeared near the disputed islands. There were no military actions on the part of Beijing. However, Vietnam claims that Chinese-flagged warships have already sunk more than one fishing boat. Mutual reproaches and accusations can at any moment lead to missiles flying.

Hot spots of Ukraine

The crisis in Ukraine began in November 2013. After the Crimean peninsula became part of the Russian Federation in March, it intensified. Pro-Russian activists, dissatisfied with the situation in the state, formed the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics in the East of Ukraine. The government, led by new President Poroshenko, sent the army against the separatists. The fighting took place on the territory of Donbass (map of hot spots below).

In the summer of 2014, an airliner from Malaysia crashed over the territory of Donbass, controlled by the separatists. 298 people died. The Ukrainian government declared DPR and LPR militants guilty of this tragedy, as well as the Russian side, which allegedly supplied the rebels with weapons and air defense systems with which the airliner was shot down. However, the DPR and LPR denied involvement in the disaster. Russia also stated that it has nothing to do with the conflict within Ukraine and the death of the airliner.

On September 5, the Minsk Armistice Agreement was signed, as a result of which active hostilities in the country ceased. However, in some areas (for example, Donetsk airport), shelling and explosions continue to this day.

Hot spots in Russia

Today, there are no military operations taking place on the territory of the Russian Federation, and there are no hot spots. However, since the collapse of the Soviet Union, conflicts have broken out more than once on the territory of our country. Thus, the hottest spots in Russia this decade are, undoubtedly, Chechnya, the North Caucasus and South Ossetia.

Until 2009, Chechnya was a constant site of fighting: first the First Chechen War (from 1994 to 1996), then the Second Chechen War (from 1999 to 2009). In August 2008, the Georgian-Ossetian conflict occurred, in which Russian troops also took part. The fighting began on August 8, and five days later ended with the signing of a peace treaty.

Today, a Russian soldier has two ways to get to hot spots: the army and contract service. According to changes made to the Regulations regulating the procedure for military service, conscripts can be sent to hot spots after four months of training (previously this period was six months).

Under a contract, you can get to a hot spot by concluding an appropriate agreement with the country. This agreement is drawn up only on a voluntary basis and for a specific period that the citizen is obliged to serve. Contract service attracts many people because it can make a lot of money. Amounts vary depending on regions. For example, in Kosovo they pay from 36 thousand per month, and in Tajikistan - much less. Big money could be earned for taking risks in Chechnya.

Before signing a contract, volunteers must undergo a rigorous selection process: starting with computer testing on the Ministry of Defense website and ending with a full examination of their health, psyche, personal data check, law-abidingness and loyalty.

Based on materials: Av. Niki Martsinkevich

The most intense events in recent years have occurred in the following regions of the Earth:

• Afghanistan;
• Iraq;
• Africa;
• Syria;
• Gaza Strip;
• Mexico;
• Philippines;
• Eastern Ukraine.

Afghanistan

The Afghan government, forced to spend time and energy fighting between warring factions, is unable to maintain peace in the country and the safety of its citizens after the withdrawal of NATO troops in 2014.

In 2012, relations between the United States and Afghanistan deteriorated sharply. The culmination of events was the mass execution of villagers in Kandahar province, which was carried out by an American soldier. Among the 17 victims of the massacre there were nine children.

These events led to widespread unrest and provoked a series of military actions by the Afghan military.

Experts believe that in the coming years the country's ruling elite will continue to be torn apart by acute contradictions. And the Taliban insurgency will certainly take advantage of these differences to achieve its extremist goals.

Iraq

Iraq's Shiite government has increasingly come into conflict with other ethnic and religious groups within the country. The ruling elites strive to take control of all institutions of power. This leads to a disruption of the already unstable balance between Shiite, Kurdish and Sunni groups.

Iraqi government forces are fighting the Islamic State. At one time, terrorists managed to include several cities in Iraq into their “caliphate”. Tension also persists in that part of the country where the position of the Kurds is strong, and they are not giving up attempts to create Iraqi Kurdistan.

Experts note that violence in the country is becoming more pronounced. The country is likely to face a new round of civil war.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Problem areas in Africa:

• Mali;
• Kenya;
• Sudan;
• Congo;
• Somalia.

Since 2012, tensions have begun to grow in those countries of the “dark continent” located south of the Sahara. The list of “hot spots” here is headed by Mali, where the government changed as a result of a coup.

Another alarming conflict has emerged in the Sahel region of Northern Nigeria. In recent years, radical Islamists from the odious Boko Haram group have killed thousands of civilians. The country's government is trying to take tough measures, but the violence is only expanding: new forces from among the youth are joining the ranks of extremists.

For more than two decades, lawlessness has reigned in Somalia. So far, neither the legitimate government of the country nor the UN peacekeeping forces can stop these destructive processes. And even the intervention of neighboring countries did not lead to an end to the violence, the center of which was radical Islamists.

Experts believe that only a balanced and clear government policy can change the situation in this part of Africa.

Kenya

Conditions for conflict continue to exist in the country. Kenya is characterized by high youth unemployment, appalling poverty and social inequality. Security reforms that had begun have been suspended. Experts are most concerned about the increasing ethnic disunity of the population.

The threat from militant groups that have settled in Somalia continues. The response to their attacks may be a militant reaction from the local Muslim community.

Sudan

The secession of the southern part of the country in 2011 did not resolve the so-called “Sudan problem”. A small local elite continues to accumulate wealth and seeks to control power in the country. The situation in this “hot spot” is aggravated by the growing confrontation between peoples making up different ethnic groups.

The ruling party is torn apart by internal divisions. The general deterioration of the social situation and the economic downturn lead to increased discontent among the people. The fight against the unification of large groups in the states of Blue Nile, Darfur and South Kordofan is growing. Military actions empty the state treasury. Civilian casualties have become commonplace.

According to experts, during the so-called Darfur conflict, at least 200 thousand people died, more than two million became refugees.

The government uses humanitarian aid flowing into Sudan as one of its bargaining tools. This turns mass hunger among ordinary people into an element of the state's military and political strategy.

Syria

The conflict in this country remains at the top of international news. The number of victims is growing. Western media every day predict the fall of the Assad “regime”. Accusations continue to fall against him of deliberately using chemical weapons against the people of his country.

The country continues to struggle between supporters and opponents of the current government. The gradual radicalization of the opposition movement is rocking the situation, and the spiral of military confrontation is beginning to unwind with renewed vigor.

The ongoing violence strengthens the Islamists' position. They manage to rally around themselves those who are disappointed by the policies of the Western powers.

Members of the world community are strenuously trying to coordinate their actions in the region and transfer the conflict to the level of a political settlement.

In eastern Syria, government troops have not conducted active combat operations for a long time. The activity of the Syrian army and its allied Russian forces has moved to the western regions of the country.

The southern part of Homs province is ruled by Americans, who from time to time clash with pro-government troops. Against this background, the country's population continues to endure hardships.

Gaza Strip

The list of problem regions also includes the Middle East. It is home to Israel, the Palestinian Territories and Lebanon. The region's civilian population continues to be under the control of local terrorist organizations, the largest of which are Fatah and Hamas. From time to time, the Middle East is rocked by missile attacks and kidnappings.

The long-standing cause of the conflict is the confrontation between Israel and the Arabs. The Palestinian Islamist movement is gradually gaining strength in the Gaza Strip, against which Israel regularly conducts military operations.

Mexico

Conditions for conflict exist on the other side of the planet. In North America, Mexico remains a hot spot. Here, narcotic substances are produced and distributed on an industrial scale. There are giant drug cartels in the country, whose history goes back decades. These structures are supported by corrupt government officials. The cartels can boast of very wide connections: they have their own people in the army, police, and in the top leadership of the country

Bloody conflicts arise every now and then between warring criminal structures, in which the civilian population inevitably gets involved. Law enforcement forces and the Mexican army are involved in this ongoing confrontation, but it is not possible to achieve success in the war against the drug mafia. In some states of the country, the population does not trust the police so much that they even began to create local self-defense units.

Philippines

For several decades, the conflict has continued between the country's government and armed groups of Islamic separatists who have settled in the southern Philippines. The rebels' demand is the formation of an independent Muslim state.

When the positions of the so-called “Islamic State” in the Middle East were greatly shaken, some Islamists from this region rushed to Southeast Asia, including the Philippines. Philippine government forces conduct regular operations against rebels, who, in turn, stage periodic attacks on law enforcement forces.

Eastern Ukraine

Part of the former USSR space has also turned into a “hot spot” on the planet. The cause of the protracted conflict was the desire of certain territories of Ukraine for independence. In this cauldron, which has spread to Lugansk and Donetsk, serious passions are boiling: interethnic conflicts, acts of terror, and murders of the leaders of the rebel side are mixed in with the threat of a full-scale civil war. The number of victims of the military confrontation is growing every day.

The situation in Donbass remains one of the central topics in news feeds around the world. Kyiv and the West in every possible way accuse Russia of contributing to the expansion and deepening of the conflict by helping the self-proclaimed republics of South-East Ukraine. The Russian authorities consistently deny these accusations and continue to call for a diplomatic solution to the issue.