The Israel-Hamas war is one of the 'hottest' conflicts of 2023. (Source: AFP)

According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), in 2023, there were 183 regional conflicts in the world, a record high number in a year in the past 30 years.

The authors of the study emphasize that the modern global conflict landscape is characterized by intractability. Common causes include the activities of non-state armed groups, domestic terrorism, territorial disputes, and the climate crisis.

The International Committee of the Red Cross believes that there are currently 459 armed groups whose activities raise humanitarian concerns.

According to the authors, the intensity of conflicts is increasing over time. In 2023, the number of victims increased by 14% and the number of violent incidents increased by 28% compared to last year. This shows that in many parts of the world, the need for humanitarian, stabilization and reconstruction is increasingly urgent.

Besides the conflicts in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, the world witnessed a number of other prominent issues, such as the still tense Russia-Georgia relations, the deteriorating situation between Algeria and Morocco, and escalating domestic terrorism in Pakistan.

The IISS stressed that the United Nations' influence in resolving conflicts is weakening due to internal tensions within the agency, clearly demonstrated by disagreements over the Palestine-Israel conflict.