Report on hot spots on the planet. Economic consequences of terrorism

The planet's "hot spots" are a kind of unhealed old wounds. From year to year, temporarily extinct conflicts flare up in these places, bringing pain to humanity. Experts from the International Crisis Group have compiled the top ten major political crises that, according to analysts, will continue this year

Afghanistan
The country's government, plagued by factional warfare and corruption, has been unable to maintain security in the country since the withdrawal of US and NATO troops in 2014. Kabul's relations with Washington deteriorated markedly in 2012, especially after large numbers of people were killed in February following reports that US troops burned dozens of Korans. The culmination of the events were the March events, when American soldier Robert Bales shot 17 villagers, including 9 children, in the southern province of Kandahar. All this provoked a series of attacks by Afghan troops. After which, mistrust arose between the military leaders of Afghanistan and the United States. Experts predict continued disagreements in the ranks of the ruling elite, which the Taliban guerrilla movement will not fail to take advantage of.

Iraq

As the state of chaos in Syria intensifies, battle formations are being more actively formed in Iraq. The Shiite government under the leadership of Nouri al-Maliki is entering into conflicts with other religious and ethnic groups in Iraq, increasing control over political institutions of power, while violating the principle of equal distribution of power between Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish parties. Given this state of affairs, and with the next elections scheduled for 2014, experts predict an increase in violence that will lead to a new round of internal hostility.

Sudan
The “Sudan problem” with the secession of the South in 2011 was not resolved. The concentration of power and wealth in the hands of a small elite intensifies further disintegration in the country. The ruling National Congress party has not been able to get rid of internal party differences, and popular discontent continues to grow in the country, primarily associated with the deteriorating economic situation. The growing struggle against the Sudanese Revolutionary Front, which has become a union of large rebel groups from the states of Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile, is emptying the treasury and leading to numerous civilian casualties. Acting in exactly the same way as in the South, the government uses humanitarian aid as a bargaining tool, essentially turning mass starvation into an element of its military strategy.

Türkiye

Winter frosts in the mountains caused the suspension of hostilities by the rebel movement calling itself the Kurdistan Workers' Party. But, according to experts, this will not affect the further development of the long-term confrontation, which looks threatening in the spring of 2013. Since the start of hostilities, 870 people have already died. Additionally, Turkish security forces resumed counter-terrorism operations in mid-2011. These are the largest losses in this conflict since the 90s. Political tensions in Turkey are also growing as the legally functioning Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party increasingly sides with the Kurdistan Workers' Party. In turn, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan intends to deprive parliament members from this party of immunity from prosecution. The state has already arrested several thousand Kurdish activists, accusing them of terrorism. The Turkish government also ended secret negotiations it had held with the Kurdistan Workers' Party since 2005 and abandoned most of the "democratic initiatives" that offered hope for greater equality and justice for the 12-15 million Turkish Kurds who make up 20% of the country's population. Most likely, in 2013, the rebels will continue to try to hold areas in the southeast of the country and carry out attacks on symbols of the Turkish state.

Pakistan

Drone attacks in 2012 continued to create tension between the United States and Pakistan, although the country reopened supply lines to NATO troops in early July after the United States apologized for a deadly attack on Pakistani soldiers in November 2011 . With elections due in Pakistan in 2013, the Pakistani government and opposition urgently need to implement key reforms in the Election Commission to cement the transition to democracy. The ruling Pakistan People's Party and its main parliamentary opposition rival Nawaz Sharif's Muslim League must put aside political differences and focus on getting the military to stop undermining democracy.

In 2012, instability in sub-Saharan Africa increased. Topping the list of trouble spots is Mali, where a military coup took place in March and overthrew the government. Separatists associated with Al-Qaeda have seized power in the north of the country. The coming year will see much-needed international intervention in Mali and, more importantly, the start of a political process of reunification. On the intervention side, the Economic Community of West African States ECOWAS and the African Union have already approved a 3,300-troop mission to help the state wrest control of the northern part of the country from Islamist militants. The matter remains only with the official permission of the UN Security Council, which it must give for such actions. The Sahel region is also home to another troubling conflict in northern Nigeria. There, the radical Islamist group Boko Haram has killed thousands of people in recent years. The government has responded with unconvincing and confused talk about possible negotiations, while at the same time pursuing brutal and sometimes indiscriminate security measures. And this leads to the expansion of violence and the arrival of more and more recruits into the ranks of extremists. Without concerted and sustained action and decisive changes in government policy, northern Nigeria could face more bloodshed in 2013.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

In April 2012, in the east there was a rebellion by rebels from the M-23 group - these are former rebels who became military, and then turned into rebels again. The country is fighting to prevent another regional war in the DRC. The consequences of the new wave of violence have been tragic for civilians, with increasing reports of widespread human rights violations, summary executions, and mass exodus of local populations. Now, thanks to the mediation efforts of the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region, the M-23 militants have left the eastern city of Goma and sat down at the negotiating table. However, the risk of a recurrence of insurgency and large-scale violence remains.

Kenya

Despite reforms to address the violence that occurred during the 2007 elections in Kenya, the reasons for continued conflict in the country remain. Youth unemployment, poverty and inequality, the suspension of security reforms, land disputes - all this is exacerbating the crisis in the country and increasing inter-ethnic polarization. Moreover, with elections scheduled for March 2013 approaching, the risk of political violence is growing. The two main presidential contenders, Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto, are accused of crimes against humanity and are due to stand trial at the International Court of Justice in April 2013. On the one hand, this gives rise to hope that the country has finally made serious attempts to eliminate the long-term impunity of the political elite, and on the other, these criminal cases can just as easily extinguish the hope for government accountability. The elections are also likely to be held amid threats of attack from the Somalia-based militant group al-Shabab and protests by separatists from the Mombasa Republican Council. Both could provoke a backlash against Kenya's large community of Somalis and Muslims. And this threatens to further destabilize the country, which is facing an already difficult year.

Syria and Lebanon

The conflict in Syria continues, and with it the death toll increases. Experts do not rule out that this situation will continue. Although representatives of this region and other countries are talking about the impending fall of the regime, the first stage after Assad's departure will be extremely dangerous, both for the Syrian people and for the Middle East as a whole. President Bashar al-Assad's actions against those who oppose his rule are tearing Syrian society apart. In response, the opposition is gradually radicalizing, further pushing the situation into a vicious circle of violence in which both sides increasingly rely on military force, abandoning political solutions. Syria's religious and political communities are becoming increasingly polarized, with regime supporters stubbornly resisting with an increasingly violent, kill-or-be-killed mentality because they fear large-scale retaliation should the Assad regime fall. The violence burning Syria creates favorable conditions for strengthening the positions of uncompromising Sunni Islamists, who have managed to rally around them those who are disillusioned with the West. This strengthening is due in no small part to the funding they receive from the Gulf countries and the military assistance and knowledge of jihadists from various countries. To reverse this disastrous trend, the opposition needs to articulate a more compelling and less nihilistic vision for Syria's future. And members of the international community need to coordinate their actions, moving the fight in Syria from the plane of destructive military actions to the plane of a political settlement.
The Syrian conflict inevitably crosses the country's borders, spilling over into Lebanon, especially as it takes on the characteristics of a sectarian war. The experience of history does not bode well, since Beirut has almost always been under the influence of Damascus. Against this backdrop, it is critical that Lebanese leaders address the underlying flaws in their governance structure, which are fueling factional infighting and leaving the country vulnerable to chaos in its neighborhood.

central Asia

A potentially dangerous region that includes countries on the brink of conflict. For example, Tajikistan moved into 2013 without showing anything good in the outgoing year. Relations with Uzbekistan continue to deteriorate, and internal disputes threaten to intensify separatist ambitions in Gorno-Badakhshan. This remote mountainous province does not like the central government in Dushanbe. The hostility dates back to the 90s, when there was a struggle for power. From time to time, confrontations between government forces and local militants, many of whom are veterans of the civil war in Tajikistan, spill over into the open. Dushanbe calls the militants members of organized crime. Some of them served in the Tajik border troops. In Kyrgyzstan the situation is no better. Ethnic tensions and law and order problems are growing in the south. The presidential administration still turns a blind eye to problems in the field of interethnic relations. The power of the central government in the Osh region is gradually weakening. Human rights continue to be violated in Uzbekistan. The situation is aggravated by the lack of political continuity: it is still unclear who will come to power after the departure of 74-year-old President Islam Karimov from the scene. Experts believe that the country has the preconditions for new unrest in the region. If the emerging trends continue, violence awaits Kazakhstan in the coming year. In 2012, a record number of terrorist attacks were carried out by previously unknown jihadist groups in the western and southern parts of the country. Astana's attempts to portray itself as a steadfast ship in a regional sea of ​​unpredictability are doomed to fail as the country faces the killing of protesters and jailing of activists. Socio-economic adversity can also harm Kazakhstan.

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:

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 factions 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.

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.

September 21 is the International Day of Peace and the day of general ceasefire and renunciation of violence. But today there are almost four dozen hot spots recorded in the world. Where and for what humanity is fighting today - in the material TUT.BY.

Gradation of conflicts:

Low intensity armed conflict- confrontation for religious, ethnic, political and other reasons. It is characterized by a low level of attacks and victims - less than 50 per year.

Medium-intensity armed conflict- occasional terrorist attacks and military operations using weapons. It is characterized by an average level of victims - up to 500 per year.

High intensity armed conflict- constant hostilities using conventional weapons and weapons of mass destruction (with the exception of nuclear weapons); involving foreign states and coalitions. Such conflicts are often accompanied by massive and numerous terrorist attacks. It is characterized by a high level of victims - from 500 per year or more.

Europe, Russia and Transcaucasia

Conflict in Donbass

Status: regular clashes between separatists and the Ukrainian military, despite the ceasefire

Start: year 2014

Death toll: from April 2014 to August 2017 - more than 10 thousand people

The armed conflict in Donbass began in the spring of 2014. Pro-Russian activists, inspired by Russia's annexation of Crimea and dissatisfied with the new government in Kyiv, proclaimed the creation of the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics. After the new Ukrainian authorities attempted to suppress protests by force in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, a full-scale armed conflict began, which has been dragging on for three years.

The situation in Donbass is not off the world agenda, as Kyiv accuses Moscow of helping the self-proclaimed republics, including through direct military intervention. The West supports these accusations, Moscow consistently denies them.

The conflict moved from the active phase to the medium-intensity phase after the launch of "" and the beginning.

But in the east of Ukraine they are still shooting, people are dying on both sides.

Caucasus and Nagorno-Karabakh

There are two other pockets of instability in the region that are classified as armed conflicts.

The war in the early 1990s between Azerbaijan and Armenia led to the formation of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (). The last time large-scale military actions were recorded here, about 200 people died on both sides. But local armed clashes in which Azerbaijanis and Armenians die.

Despite all the efforts of Russia, the situation in the Caucasus remains extremely difficult: counter-terrorism operations are constantly being carried out in Dagestan, Chechnya and Ingushetia, Russian special services report on the liquidation of gangs and terrorist cells, but the flow of reports does not decrease.

Middle East and North Africa

The entire region was shocked in 2011 by "". From then to the present, Syria, Libya, Yemen and Egypt have been hot spots in the region. In addition, the armed confrontation in Iraq and Turkey has been going on for many years.

War in Syria

Status: constant hostilities

Start: 2011

Death toll: from March 2011 to August 2017 - from 330,000 to

After the US invasion in 2003 and the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime, Iraq began a civil war and rebellion against the coalition government. And in 2014, part of the country was captured by Islamic State militants. Now a motley company is fighting the terrorists: the Iraqi army with the support of US troops, the Kurds, local Sunni tribes and Shiite militias. This summer, the largest city that was under the control of ISIS, there is currently a struggle for control of Anbar province.

Radical Islamist groups are fighting Baghdad not only on the battlefield - in Iraq constantly with numerous casualties.

Libya

Status: regular clashes between different factions

Start: 2011

Exacerbation: year 2014

Death toll: from February 2011 to August 2017 - t 15,000 to 30,000

The conflict in Libya also began with the Arab Spring. In 2011, protesters against the Gaddafi regime were supported by airstrikes by the United States and NATO. The revolution won, Muammar Gaddafi was killed by a crowd, but the conflict did not die down. In 2014, a new civil war broke out in Libya, and since then dual power has reigned in the country - in the east of the country, in the city of Tobruk, a parliament elected by the people sits, and in the west, in the capital of Tripoli, the Government of National Accord, formed with the support of the UN and Europe, is ruled by Faez. Sarraj. In addition, there is a third force - the Libyan national army, which is fighting the militants of the Islamic State and other radical groups. The situation is complicated by the civil strife of local tribes.

Yemen

Status: regular missile and air strikes, clashes between different factions

Start: year 2014

Death toll: from February 2011 to September 2017 - more than 10 thousand people

Yemen is another country whose conflict dates back to the Arab Spring in 2011. President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who ruled Yemen for 33 years, transferred his powers to the country's Vice President Abd Rabbo Mansour al-Hadi, who won early elections a year later. However, he failed to retain power in the country: in 2014, a civil war broke out between Shiite rebels (Houthis) and the Sunni government. Al-Hadi was supported by Saudi Arabia, which, together with other Sunni monarchies and with the consent of the United States, is helping with both ground operations and air strikes. Former President Saleh, who is supported by some Shiite rebels and Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, also joined the fight.

The armed confrontation between the Turkish government and the fighters of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, who are fighting for the creation of Kurdish autonomy within Turkey, has continued from 1984 to the present. In the last two years, the conflict has escalated: Turkish authorities accused the Kurds of several crimes, after which they carried out purges.

The Knife Intifada and Lebanon

There are several other hot spots in the region that military experts classify as low-intensity “armed conflicts.”

First of all, this is the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the next escalation of which was called “”. Between 2015 and 2016, there were more than 250 attacks by Islamic radicals armed with bladed weapons against Israelis. As a result, 36 Israelis, 5 foreigners and 246 Palestinians were killed. Attacks with knives and screwdrivers have died down this year, but armed attacks continue: in July, three Arabs attacked an Israeli police officer on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

Another smoldering hot spot is Lebanon. The smoldering conflict in Lebanon is at a low level of intensity only due to the authorities' emphasized neutrality regarding the civil war in Syria and the related conflict in Lebanon between Sunnis and Shiites. Lebanese Shiites and the Hezbollah group support the pro-Assad coalition, Sunnis oppose it, and radical Islamist groups oppose the Lebanese authorities. Armed clashes and terrorist attacks occur from time to time: the largest of them in recent times was the double terrorist attack in Beirut in 2015, which resulted in...

Asia and Pacific

Afghanistan

Status: constant terrorist attacks and armed clashes

Beginning of the conflict: 1978

Escalation of the conflict: year 2001

Death toll: from 2001 to August 2017 - more than 150,000 people

After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, NATO and the United States military contingent entered Afghanistan. The Taliban regime was overthrown, but a military conflict began in the country: the Afghan government, with the support of NATO and US forces, is fighting the Taliban and Islamist groups associated with Al-Qaeda and IS.

Despite the fact that 13 thousand NATO and US troops still remain in Afghanistan and there are now discussions about whether to do so, terrorist activity in the country remains high: dozens of people die in the republic every month.

The smoldering Kashmir conflict and the internal problems of India and Pakistan

In 1947, two states were formed on the territory of former British India - India and Pakistan. The partition took place along religious lines: provinces with a predominantly Muslim population went to Pakistan, and provinces with a Hindu majority to India. But not everywhere: despite the fact that the majority of the population of Kashmir were Muslims, this region was annexed to India.

Since then Kashmir- a disputed territory between the two countries and the cause of three Indo-Pakistani wars and several smaller military conflicts. According to various sources, over the past 70 years it has claimed about 50 thousand lives. In April 2017, the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research published an annual report that identified the Kashmir conflict as one that could trigger a military conflict involving the use of nuclear weapons. Both India and Pakistan are members of the “club of nuclear powers” ​​with an arsenal of several dozen nuclear warheads.

In addition to the general conflict, each country has several hot spots with varying degrees of intensity, all of which are recognized by the international community as military conflicts.

There are three of them in Pakistan: separatist movements in the western province Balochistan, the fight against the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan group in an unrecognized state Waziristan and clashes between Pakistani security forces and various militant groups in the semi-autonomous region " Federally Administered Tribal Areas"(FATA). Radicals from these regions attack government buildings, law enforcement officers and carry out terrorist attacks.

There are four hotspots in India. In three Indian states - Assam, Nagaland and Manipur Due to religious and ethnic clashes, nationalist and separatist movements are strong and do not disdain terrorist attacks and hostage-taking.

And in 20 of the 28 Indian states there are Naxalites - Maoist militant groups who demand the creation of free self-governing zones, where they (of course!) will build the most real and correct communism. Naxalites practice attacks on officials and government troops and carry out more than half of the terrorist attacks in India. The country's authorities have officially declared the Naxalites terrorists and call them the main internal threat to the country's security.

Myanmar

Recently, the media, which usually does not pay attention to third world countries, has focused attention.

In this country, in August, the religious-ethnic conflict between the residents of the Rakhine state - Arakanese Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims - escalated. Hundreds of separatists from the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ASRA) attacked 30 police strongholds, killing 15 police and military personnel. After this, the troops began an anti-terrorist operation: in just one week, the military killed 370 Rohingya separatists, and 17 local residents were also reported accidentally killed. How many people died in Myanmar in September is still unknown. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh, creating a humanitarian crisis.

Southern Thailand

A number of radical Islamic organizations advocate the independence of the southern provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat from Thailand and demand either the creation of an independent Islamic state or the inclusion of the provinces in Malaysia.

Bangkok is responding to the demands of the Islamists, supported by attacks and attacks, with counter-terrorism operations and suppression of local unrest. Over 13 years of escalating conflict, more than 6,000 people have died.

Uyghur conflict

The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR, abbreviated Chinese name for Xinjiang) is located in northwestern China. It occupies a sixth of the territory of all of China, and the majority of its inhabitants are Uyghurs - a Muslim people, whose representatives are not always enthusiastic about the national policies of the country's communist leadership. In Beijing, Xinjiang is perceived as a region of “three hostile forces” - terrorism, religious extremism and separatism.

The Chinese authorities have reason for this - the active terrorist group “East Turkestan Islamic Movement,” whose goal is to create an Islamic state in China, is responsible for unrest and terrorist attacks in Xinjiang: over the past 10 years, more than 1,000 people have died in the region.

Now the conflict is characterized as sluggish, but Beijing has already been threatened with an escalation of the situation after the Chinese authorities introduced a ban on wearing beards, hijabs, and performing marriage and mourning ceremonies according to religious customs instead of secular ones. In addition, Uyghurs were urged to sell alcohol and tobacco in stores and not to publicly celebrate religious holidays.

Armed conflict in the Philippines

For more than four decades in the Philippines, the conflict has continued between Manila and armed groups of Muslim separatists in the south of the country, which traditionally advocate the creation of an independent Islamic state. The situation worsened after the position of the Islamic State in the Middle East significantly weakened: many Islamists flocked to Southeast Asia. Two major factions, Abu Sayyaf and Maute, pledged allegiance to IS and captured the city of Marawi on the Philippine island of Mindanao in May. Government troops still cannot drive the militants out of the city. Also, radical Islamists stage armed attacks not only in the south, but also.

According to the latest data, from May to September this year in the Philippines, a total of 45 civilians and 136 soldiers and police were killed as a result of terrorist actions.

North and South America

Mexico

In 2016, Mexico had the second highest death toll on the list of states where armed conflict continues, behind only Syria. The nuance is that officially there is no war on Mexican territory, but for more than ten years there has been a battle between the country’s authorities and drug cartels. The latter are still fighting among themselves, and for good reason—income from drug sales in the United States alone amounts to up to $64 billion a year. And drug cartels receive about $30 billion a year from selling drugs to Europe.

The international community calls this confrontation in Mexico an armed conflict with a high degree of intensity, and justifiably: even in the most “peaceful” year of 2014, more than 14 thousand people died, and in total since 2006, more than 106,000 people have become victims of the “drug war”.

"Northern Triangle"

Drugs come to Mexico from South America. All transit routes pass through the three countries of the Northern Triangle in Central America: Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.

The Northern Triangle is one of the most violent regions in the world, where powerful transnational criminal organizations have flourished, many with ties to Mexican drug transit countries; local organized crime groups; gangs like the 18th Street Gang (M-18) and the Pandillas street gangs. All these groups and clans are constantly waging war among themselves for the redistribution of spheres of influence.

The governments of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala have declared war on both organized and street crime. This decision was warmly supported in the United States, where 8.5% of the Northern Triangle population has immigrated in recent years due to high levels of violence and corruption.

The countries of the Northern Triangle are also recognized as participants in armed conflict with a high degree of intensity.

Colombia

The confrontation between the Colombian authorities and the left-wing extremist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) lasted more than 50 years. Over these years, about 220 thousand people died, about 7 million lost their homes. In 2016, an agreement was signed between the Colombian authorities and the FARC. Rebels from the National Liberation Army of Colombia (ELN) refused to join the agreement, which, together with the problem of large-scale drug trafficking, leaves the military conflict in the country at “medium intensity” status.

Africa: Sub-Saharan

IN Somalia Lawlessness has reigned for more than 20 years: neither the government, nor UN peacekeepers, nor the military intervention of neighboring countries can stop the anarchy. The radical Islamist group Al-Shabaab is active in Somalia, and the coastal areas have begun to make money from piracy.

Radical Islamists terrorize and Nigeria. Boko Haram militants control approximately 20% of the territory in the north of the country. They are fought by the Nigerian army, which is assisted by military personnel from neighboring Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

Besides the jihadists, there is another conflict zone in the country in the Niger Delta. For more than 20 years, Nigerian government troops and mercenaries of oil companies, on the one hand, and ethnic groups of Ogoni, Igbo and Ijaw, on the other, have been trying to establish control over the oil-bearing areas for more than 20 years, with varying success.

In another country, the youngest of the recognized states in the world - South Sudan, — the civil war began two years after gaining independence, in 2013, and despite the presence of a 12,000-strong UN peacekeeping force. Formally, it is between government troops and the rebels, but in essence it is between representatives of the dominant Dinka ethnic group (President Salva Kiir is one of them) and the Nuer tribe, from which Vice President Riek Machar comes.

Uneasy in Sudan. In the Darfur region in the west of the country, an interethnic conflict has been ongoing since 2003, resulting in an armed confrontation between the central government, the informal pro-government Arab Janjaweed armed groups and local rebel groups. According to various estimates, as a result of the Darfur conflict, from 200 to 400 thousand people died, 2.5 million people became refugees.

Armed conflict in Mali erupted between government forces, Tuaregs, various separatist groups and radical Islamists in early 2012. The starting point of events was a military coup, as a result of which the then current head of state, Amadou Toure, was overthrown. To maintain order in the country, UN peacekeepers and a French contingent are present, but despite this, there are constant hostage-takings in Mali.

In the eastern provinces Democratic Republic of the Congo, despite all the efforts of the authorities and peacekeepers, the situation has remained tense for many years. Various Islamist and Christian groups, armed formations of local tribes and gangs from neighboring states operate in the country. All of them are attracted by colossal reserves of rich minerals: gold, diamonds, copper, tin, tantalum, tungsten, more than half of the world's proven reserves of uranium. According to the UN Panel of Experts on the DRC, illegal gold mining “clearly remains the main source of funding for armed groups.”

IN Central African Republic (CAR) Muslim rebels overthrew a Christian president in 2013, sparking sectarian strife in the country. Since 2014, there has been a UN peacekeeping mission in the country.