Six conflicts account for 80% of global conflict fatalities, IISS data concludes
 

LONDON, 05 May. (ANA) – Across the world, 167,000 people died in armed conflicts in 2015, the latest edition
of The IISS Armed Conflict Survey concludes, while governments retook territory from insurgents, often with the
help of allies.
Fully one-third of all fatalities occurred in Syria, where the death toll was 55,000. This was lower than 2014, but
still accounted for 66% of fatalities in the Middle East and North Africa, and 33% of global fatalities, according to
the new data published by The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
Conflicts in Mexico and Central America accounted for 21% of global fatalities, with a combined death toll in
excess of 34,000. Meanwhile fatalities fell sharply across sub-Saharan Africa—despite a ramp-up in deaths in
Nigeria’s war with Boko Haram—as de-escalation and/or conflict resolution took hold in Somalia, the Central
African Republic and South Sudan.
The largest year-on-year increase in fatalities was seen in Afghanistan, which registered 15,000 deaths as a
direct result of the conflict. This compares with just 3,500 in 2013, underlining the deterioration in security since
the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) began its drawdown in earnest. Six conflicts—Syria, Iraq, Central
America, Mexico, Afghanistan and Nigeria’s battle with Boko Haram—accounted for nearly 80% of conflict
fatalities globally.
Responding to territorial gains made by ISIS and other groups, states went onto the offensive. Dr John Chipman,
Director-General and Chief Executive of the IISS, said: ‘2015 was the year that, for better or worse, the state
struck back in many of the world’s largest armed conflicts, making territorial gains in the face of considerable
resistance’. He cited Iraq, Syria, Nigeria, Somalia and Yemen as examples. ‘Often this was achieved with the help
of foreign allies,’ he added, pointing to Russia’s intervention in Syria, the role of Iranian forces in Iraq, and
offensives by African Union forces in Nigeria and Somalia.
One of the consequences of increased military pressure on the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq has been a
displacement effect, Dr Chipman said, pointing to the group’s growing foothold in Libya. Yet he noted that
Islamic State has struggled to achieve the same level of control there as in its home region. ‘Its fighters there are
seen as outsiders,’ said Dr Chipman, ‘and society lacks the sectarian divisions on which the jihadists have fed in
Iraq and Syria.’
The number of refugees and internally displaced people has surged from 33m in 2013 to 43m in 2014 and 46m by
mid-2015, Dr Chipman said. Preventing forced displacement requires effective pressure on conflict parties to follow
the Geneva Conventions, securing better access to conflict zones for humanitarian relief, and greater political action
to de-escalate and resolve conflicts, Dr Chipman concluded.  - (ANA) -

AB/ANA/ 05 May 2016 - - -