African Conflicts

2 million

18/49

40 million

Africans displaced by conflicts

African countries with armed conflict

killed in armed conflict from 1989-2023

AFRICA

A map of the continent's worst conflicts and atrocities

In the past couple decades, Africa has suffered from numerous deadly conflicts and atrocities, resulting in millions of deaths. In this interactive, Eastside will explore cases of atrocities and conflict from across the continent.

Libyan Crisis

2011-Present

After Libya's government responded violently to protests in 2011, civil war ensued and the president was killed. The power vacuum that remained led to infighting between militant groups, leaving over 30,000 dead.

South Sudanese Civil War

2013-2020

After the president accused an opposition party of attempting a coup, civil war broke out, ultimately killing roughly 400,000 people, with over 10% being children. Many were killed in ethnic cleansings and genocides.

Sahel Region Conflicts

2012-Present

The Sahel Region, particularly Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, suffer from corruption and political instability which allow the rise of many militant groups supported by the Islamic State. Over 11,000 deaths have been reported.

Casamance Conflict

1982-2014

Conflict between Senegal's government and the MDFC began after calls were made for independence of the Casamance region in Senegal. The resulting conflict left roughly 5,000 dead.

Rwandan Genocide

1994

A group of Hutus killed the Rwandan president and took over, jumpstarting a massive, state-sanctioned genocide in which 800,000 Tutsis, the ethnic minority in Rwanda, were brutally massacred.

Angolan Civil War

1975-2002

After gaining independence from Portugal, Angola faced power struggles in a Cold War proxy conflict between the communist and anti-communist political parties. The conflict resulted in roughly 800,000 deaths.

Somali Civil War

1991-Present

A coup resulted in a power vacuum in Somalia, with several armed groups including Al-Shabaab brutally fighting to take power. The U.S. made efforts to halt the conflict, but it has left over 1 million dead and still continues.

Second Congo War

1998-2003

The Congolese president turned against his allies in Rwanda and Uganda, resulting in a war between nine African nations and 25 armed groups. The death toll was 5.4 million, primarily due to diseases and malnutrition.

Ethiopian Civil Conflict

2018-Present

When a political party disbanded in 2018, civil war broke out in Ethiopia's Tigray Region between the federal and regional governments. The resulting violence and famine killed over 600,000 Ethiopians.

Cabo Delgado Conflict

2017-Present

Following its earlier civil war, Mozambique now suffers from conflicts between Al Shabaab insurgents and Mozambique security forces due to disputes over natural resources.

Central African Republic

1960-Present

The CAR's conflicts have killed thousands and stem largely from the many militant groups there including religious rebel groups, MINUSCA, Rwandan militants, Russia's Wagner Group, and even the French military.

Burundian Civil War

1993-2005

Ethnic divisions between the Tutsis and Hutus in Burundi led to conflict following an election. High amounts of children were reported fighting in the conflict that ultimately killed an estimated 300,000 people.

Anglophone Crisis

2017-Present

Cameroon's French government and the Anglophone Ambazonians have been in conflict over political disputes, resulting in frequent kidnappings, killings, and brutal torturings, leaving roughly 4,000 civilians dead.

Sudanese Civil Wars

1955-Present

Three major civil wars broke out between militant groups in Sudan since 1955, resulting in an estimated total of 3.5 million deaths largely due to famine and disease caused by the conflict.