The World Now

Conflict Monitor

Wars in Africa 2026: live conflict tracking across the continent

Track active conflicts, military developments, and geopolitical escalation related to Africa. Connect events directly to Catalyst's market impact layer.

Conflict events

7

Active conflict events related to Africa.

Critical alerts

0

Highest-severity signals in the feed.

Hotspots

6

Regions with sustained event clustering.

Risk score

98

Current global risk score for context.

Live surface

Conflict map — Africa

Follow active conflict markers in Africa as they appear and drill into the most relevant military and geopolitical updates.

5 mapped events

Active conflict events — Africa

Conflict updates ordered for fast scanning and route-through into the event detail surface.

View all events
EventTypeSeverity
💥
Africa Security Strain

Africa's security landscape has deteriorated over the past decade due to increased political violence from civil wars, jihadist attacks, local conflicts, and government crackdowns, impacting millions.

ConflictHIGH
💥
CAR Conflict Update

A brief overview of recent events in West and Central Africa, likely involving ongoing conflicts in the Central African Republic and neighboring countries like Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as reported by UN OCHA.

ConflictMEDIUM
💥
Assassination off Libya

A presumed assassination of a Russian intelligence chief off the coast of Libya uncovers an ongoing shadow war involving international espionage and conflicts.

ConflictHIGH
💥
UN Report on West Africa Conflicts

A UN report summarizes recent events in Niger, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, and Democratic Republic of the Congo from March 24-30, 2026, likely involving ongoing conflicts and humanitarian issues.

ConflictHIGH
💥
Civilian deaths by troops in Burkina Faso and Mali

Data indicates that government troops in Burkina Faso and Mali have caused more civilian deaths than jihadist groups, potentially increasing militant recruitment and legitimacy.

ConflictHIGH
⚔️
Ethiopia-Sudan War Escalation

Renewed conflict in Ethiopia is escalating and could draw in Sudan, potentially leading to a regional mega-war with significant international implications.

WarHIGH
💥
Eritrea-Ethiopia Conflict Escalation

Tensions are escalating between Eritrea and Ethiopia, indicating a potential conflict in the region.

ConflictMEDIUM

Global Risk Index

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conflict and macro are driving the current global risk posture.

Live
0EXTREME
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Conflict
0
Disaster
0
Infrastructure
0
Macro
0
Market Stress
0

Hotspots

Most active regions

Various

1

Dominant signal: conflict

Libya

1

Dominant signal: conflict

Niger

1

Dominant signal: conflict

Burkina Faso, Mali

1

Dominant signal: conflict

Ethiopia

1

Dominant signal: war

Central African Republic

1

Dominant signal: conflict

Markets at risk

Assets with live geopolitical exposure

Open markets hub

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About this tracker

Active Conflicts Across Africa

Africa hosts more active armed conflicts than any other continent, with wars and insurgencies spanning the continent from the Sahel to the Horn of Africa to the Great Lakes region. The most devastating include the Sudan civil war (SAF vs. RSF, millions displaced), the DRC conflict (M23 and 100+ armed groups in eastern provinces), and the Sahel insurgency (jihadist groups across Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger).

Other significant conflicts include the Mozambique insurgency in Cabo Delgado (threatening gas developments), Somalia's war against al-Shabaab, periodic violence in Nigeria (Boko Haram, herder-farmer conflicts, banditry), and the aftermath of Ethiopia's Tigray war. Track all African conflicts on our conflict map and see detailed pages for Sudan and Congo.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many wars are happening in Africa right now?

Africa has over a dozen active armed conflicts of varying intensity. Major wars include Sudan (civil war), DRC (M23 rebellion and multi-group conflict), and the Sahel insurgency. Numerous other conflicts involve lower-intensity violence in Nigeria, Mozambique, Somalia, Ethiopia, and elsewhere.

What is causing the conflicts in Africa?

African conflicts have diverse causes including competition for power and resources, ethnic and sectarian tensions, jihadist insurgencies, climate-driven resource scarcity, and weak governance institutions. Many are exacerbated by external interference, arms flows, and the legacy of colonial borders that divided ethnic groups.

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Last updated 4/20/2026, 2:27:48 PM