As the world enters a year marked by political transitions, economic uncertainty, and sharpening geopolitical rivalries, new conflict assessments warn that instability is set to intensify across several key regions. Many of the pressures that defined recent years — fragmented armed groups, stressed governments, and expanding criminal networks — are converging with fresh triggers, from contested elections to shifting regional alliances.

Against this backdrop, ACLED — a global monitoring project that tracks political violence and unrest — identifies the areas most at risk of escalation in 2026. These hotspots reveal how entrenched conflicts, state fragility, and adaptive non-state actors may shape the international security landscape in the months ahead.

Why It Matters

The conflicts proje

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