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The
world is a violent place, and for various political,
economic, religious and other reasons, wars and conflicts
often erupt. The purpose of this web page is to
chronicle these conflicts and attempt to explain why they
occur and what may result from them.
This page
contains four current sections and one section not yet
completed. The current sections are:
- Current “Major”
wars and conflicts
- Current “Minor”
wars and conflicts
- Recently
concluded or suspended wars and conflicts
- Major Acts
of Terrorism
*More
detail to be added as time allows*
Current “Major”
wars and conflicts in the world—Major conflicts
are defined here as wars and conflicts in which more than a
thousand people have died, involve more than one nation (for
internal conflicts) or more than two nations (for
international conflicts), and/or have the near-term
potential to turn into a multi-national regional conflict.
Alphabetical listing.
Afghan
War (part of
America’s world-wide War on Terrorism)--
Al-Aqsa Intifada (Israeli-Palestinian Conflict) (high-risk to become a regional war)--
Algerian Civil
War—(1992-Present): After the Islamic Salvation
Front won national elections in 1992, the military annulled
the elections and the winning party's military wing, The
Islamic Salvation Army (AIS), began a bloody rebellion. The
AIS surrendered in June 1999, but other groups continue to
fight the governme
Basque Separatist
Conflict—(1958-Present): The rebel group called
Basque Fatherland and Liberty guerrilla group (ETA) has
waged an urban guerrilla movement against the Spanish
government. The organization's goal is independence for the
Basque region of northern Spain and southwestern France.
Some operations have taken place in France, causing Paris
and Madrid to cooperate. Approximately 800 deaths are
attributed to the ETA's campaign.
Burma (Myanmar) Civil
War—(1948-Present): In Earth's longest running and
perhaps most complex conflict, several different ethnic
groups attempted to secede in the years following World War
2. Most of these groups continue the struggle to this day,
along with political dissidents who took up arms after a
1988 coup. Some areas of northern Burma have been controlled
by Narco-guerrillas harvesting opium, which the government
has attempted to halt.
Military operations near border areas have brought both rebels
and the Burmese government into occasional conflict with
neighboring Thailand.
Burundi Civil War—(1994-Present):
The Tutsi-dominated government is fighting Hutu rebels.
The rebels use neighboring Congo as a base to launch attacks,
thereby giving the Burundi government reason to involve
itself in the Second Congolese War.
Colombian Civil
War—(1964-Present): Marxist Guerrillas began a
Cuban-inspired insurgency in the 1960s, which continued at a
fairly low level until the 1990s, when the strength of the
guerrilla groups increased due to their de facto alliance
with narcotics-producing crime cartels. Over the past year
(since 2001), the violence of the conflict has increased as
the government realized that negotiations with the
guerrillas were not leading to a peaceful solution.
The United States is providing military and logistical support
to the government.
Congo: Second
Congolese War (This IS a
regional war)—(1998-Present): Peace
talks may soon end what has been called “Africa’s
World War.” Congolese rebels, backed by Rwanda, Uganda and
Burundi, seek the overthrow of President Kabila (the father
was assassinated and his son then became president), who is
supported by rebels from the above three countries, in
addition to the armies of Angola, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Estimates put the number of
dead in this war at over one million, mostly civilians. Also known as the “Great Lakes War.”
Chechnya (Russia):
Second Chechen War--
Gaza
War (2008-2009)--Renewal of the Israeli-Hamas
Conflict as Israel responded to Hamas rocket attacks with
air and ground attacks beginning on December 27, 2008
No-Fly
Zone War (Iraq-Coalition Conflict (
1992-2003)
Israeli Airstrikes on
Syrian Forces in Lebanon—Part of ongoing conflict
between Israel and Syria in Lebanon.
(high-risk to become a regional war)—
July 1, 2001:
Israeli warplanes struck a Syrian Army radar post and
anti-aircraft site in Lebanon in retaliation for a Hezbollah
attack on the Israel-Lebanon border in an area called the
Cheba Farms. Israel believes Syria controls the Hezbollah
and struck the Syrians in order to "send a message."
April 15, 2001:
Israel dropped six bombs on a Syrian Army radar post in
Lebanon in retaliation for a Hezbollah attack on the
Israel-Lebanon border. Israel believes Syria controls the
Hezbollah. Three Syrian troops died in the attack.
Israeli –Syrian Border
Clashes—Part of ongoing conflict between Israel and
Syria in Lebanon. (high-risk to
become a regional war)—
January 10, 2003: Israeli
troops shot and killed one Syrian soldier and captured
another in an apparent attempt by the Syrian soldiers to
infiltrate across the border into the Israeli-occupied Golan
Heights. Approximately
one hour after the initial shooting, a Syrian outpost opened
fire on Israeli forces.
Israel chose not to respond for fear of escalating the
violence. Isael later turned over the body of the dead
soldier and the prisoner to the United Nations for transfer
back to Syria.
July,
1991: Three Syrians, members of a military intellegence
unit, infiltrated into Israeli-Occupied territory near Mount
Hermon. They fired an anitank weapon
at an Israeli military outpost, killing one Israeli soldier.
Israeli-Palestinian
Conflict-àSee
Al-Aqsa Intifada (above)--
(high-risk to become a regional war)—
Gaza
Strip Conflict/Gaza War
q
q
Ivory Coast (Cote d’Ivorie) Civil War—(Sept.
19, 2002-Present): Rebel soldiers (who later called
themselves the Patriotic Movement of Ivory Coast (MPCI) launched
a coordinated, nation-wide attack on forces loyal to
President Laurent Gbagbo. Loyalist forces held onto the capital city of
Abidjan, but lost control of the northern cities of
Bouake and Korhogo. Initial reports had former military
dictator General Robert Guei as the leader of the coup.
It was also reported that he perished in the fighting. Ivory
Coast has seen ethnic and religious violence since 2000
between northern Muslims (such as Guei) and southern
Christians (such as President Gbagbo). The government also claims
that rebel reinforcement entered the country from a
bordering nation, most likely Burkina Faso to the north.
Tensions have increased between the two West African nations
partly as a result of the status of millions of migrant
Burkina Faso citizens living in Ivory Coast seeking jobs.
A cease-fire began on Oct. 17, which held until the last week
of November, as government forces launched a new offensive
with recently acquired helicopters and what appeared to be a
unit of English-speaking mercenaries. Also, a new rebel group appeared, seizing several
towns along the western border with Liberia. This group, calling itself the Ivorian Popular Movement for the Greater West,
clashed with French peacekeeping forces that were attempting
to evacuate Europeans from the area.
This Yacouba-based tribal group, which appears to include some
Liberians, may be connected to one of the factions involved
in the Liberian Civil War. A second western rebel group, called the Movement
for Justice and Peace, appears loyal to the late General
Guei.
Kashmir Conflict (high-risk to become a regional war)—(1991-Present):
Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan, and a
Kashmiri rebel movement is aided by Pakistan. Intermittent
clashes along the border nearly turned into full-scale war
in the summer of 1999 and in late 2001.
o
o o Intense
Clashes Along the LOC-- (Dec. 23, 2001-Continuing):
Following the terrorist attack on India's Parliament,
tensions between India and Pakistan increased, with
machine gun, mortar and artillery fire across their
border (Line of Control) in disputed Kashmir.
o o Terrorist/Rebel
Attack on the Indian Parliament in New Delhi—(
Dec. 13, 2001): Kashmiri Terrorists attacked the Indian
Parliament, attempting to blow it up during a legislative
session. Security guard killed the militants before they
could enter the Parliament building. 5 terrorists and 7
Indian security officers and 2 Indian bystanders were
killed in the attack. This attack triggered a violent confrontation
along the Line of Control (LOC) in Kashmir between the
armies of India and Pakistan. India blamed Pakistan for
aiding the rebels
Liberian Civil War--
Nepal
Civil War—(Feb. 13, 1996- Present): Maoist
Guerrillas seek to overthrow the Nepal monarchy though a
rural uprising. This
conflict has grown in intensity in recent months. Chinese aid to the rebels is alleged.
North
Lebanon Conflict (2007)--Fighting between the
Lebanese government and a Jihadist Palestinian militia
calling itself Fatah al-Islam.
Northern Ireland
Conflict—(1969-Present): This is the latest in a
very long series of conflicts fought by Britain in Ireland.
Northern Ireland is a part of the United
Kingdom, with a Protestant majority loyal to London. The
Irish Catholic minority has sought to break away and join
the Irish Republic in the southern part of the island. The
IRA and other groups have conducted a largely urban
guerrilla campaign since 1969. Protestant para-military
groups also wage an underground war against the Catholic
population. Peace talks have been under way for some time.
Over 2,500 deaths have occurred since1969.
Philippines
Conflicts—
Muslim Rebellion in the Southern
Philippines--(1969-Present): Muslim rebel groups seek
autonomy/independence from the mostly Christian
Philippines. One rebel group, the Abu Sayaf Group, is
believed linked to Osama bin-Laden’s Al-Qaida.
This connection, plus their tactic of kidnapping and beheading
Americans, led the United States to send Special Forces
to aid the Philippine Army.
New People’s
Army Rebellion--(1969-Present): The Communist New
People’s Army (along with the rival Alex
Boncayao Brigade (ABB); is attempting to overthrow
the Philippine government and install a Marxist
regime.
Rwandan Civil War—(1994-Present): The current
Rwandan government is dominated by the Tutsi tribe, which
overthrew the old government dominated by the Hutu tribe.
Before losing power, the Hutu rulers and their militia
massacred over half a million people. The Hutus now conduct
a guerrilla war against the Tutsi government from bases in
the Congo. Rwanda used the presence of these Hutu guerrillas
to take part in both of the recent Congolese
Wars.
Sri Lankan Civil
War—(1983-Present): Sri Lanka's civil war is due
to problems between the Tamil minority and the Sinhalese
majority. In the 1980's, India intervened on the
government's side, but has since withdrawn its troops.
Over 70,000 deaths have resulted from this war.
Peace talks have been under way for some time.
Sudanese Civil
War—(1983-Present): This is a war based largely on
racial, religious and regional differences. The government
is dominated by Muslim Arabs, while the south of the country
is largely black Christian.
War on Terrorism—Officially
beginning Oct. 7, 2001, this American-led crusade against
al-Qaida thus far involves: the campaign against al-Qaida
and the Taliban in Afghanistan, the search by U.S. and
Pakistani forces for al-Qaida followers in Pakistan, the
deployment of U.S. special forces to aid government forces
in the Philippines battle the Abu Sayyaf guerrillas on the
southern Philippine island of Bamiyan, the deployment of
U.S. special forces to Yemen to train and aid government
forces dealing with rural tribes possibly allied with
al-Qaida and the deployment of U.S. special forces to the
republic of Georgia to train and aid government forces
against rebels. Other military, para-military
and covert missions are probably ongoing, but not yet
public.
Ugandan Civil
War--
Current “Minor” wars and conflicts in the
world— Wars and conflicts, which are relatively
small impact on the world or the region in which they occur.
Placement on this list is somewhat subjective. For nations and individual people caught up in
these conflicts, these wars are far from “minor,”
but from the perspective of the world as a whole, they are
possess a lower “profile” than the wars in the “major”
category. This
category also contains “one-time” occurrences
such as the Korean border battles, which are part of a
long-standing hostility.
Generally speaking, these conflicts involve few than 1,000
deaths, involve only one nation (for internal conflicts) or
only two nations (for international conflicts) and/or do not
possess the likelihood of developing into multi-national
regional conflicts.
Alphabetical
listing.
Bougainville War of
Independence—(1989-Present): The island of
Bougainville seeks independence from Papua New Guinea.
Cabinda (Angola)
Separatist War—(1984-Present): The Front for the
Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC) seeks to
separate the oil-rich enclave of Cabinda from Angola.
On September 19, 2002, the Angolan army began a major military
offensive against the Cabinda rebels.
Chad-Central African
Republic Border Conflict—(Aug. 7, 2002): The
armies of Chad and the CAR clashed in an exchange that left
approximately two dozen dead. Each side blamed the other for
initiating the attack. Tensions have been high since an
attempted coup in the CAR last November.
Chittagong Hill
Tracts War in Bangladesh- (1975?-Present): Peace
settlements have ended some fighting, but at least one rebel
group remains active.
Hmong
Insurgency in Laos—(1975-Present): The Hmong
ethnic group have fought the Communist government since it
took power following the end of the Vietnam (2nd Indochina)
War in 1975. Vietnam provides military aid and troops to the
Laotian government periodically.
India: Minor Wars—A
series of conflicts mostly involving ethnic groups seeking
independence or autonomy from the central government. One conflict, the Naxalite
War, is political rather than ethnic.
These are in addition to the Kashmir Rebellion, which rates as
a major conflict.
Hindu-Muslim Sectarian Violence—(1947-Present): Since independence from
Britain in 1947, Hindus and Muslims in India have engaged
in periodic outbursts of violence against each other.
The latest mob violence in early 2002 in the state of Gujarat
claimed 800 to 1,000 lives.
Naga Rebellion—(1952-Present):
The Naga ethnic group sought independence from India. A
cease-fire took effect in 1997, though some Naga groups
continue to oppose the government.
Mizo Rebellion—(Feb.
28, 1966-Present): The Mizo National Front (MNF) seeks
independence from India for the Mizoram region.
Naxalite
Guerrilla War—(May 25, 1967-Present):
Beginning with a peasant uprising in the town of
Naxalbari, this Marxist/Maoist rebellion sputters on in
the Indian countryside. The guerrillas operate among the
impoverished peasants and fight both the government
security forces and the private paramilitary groups
funded by wealthy landowners. Most fighting takes place
in the states of Andhra
Pradesh, Mahrashtra, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh.
Tripura
Rebellion—(1979-Present): Tripura, in Northeast
India, is embroiled in a separatist rebellion as several
rebel groups fight for independence.
Assam
Rebellion—(1980-Present): The United Liberation
Front of Assam (ULFA) formed in April 1979 in response to
an influx of non-Assamese from Bangladesh and parts of
North East India. This movement seeks to evict those
"foreigners" and seek greater autonomy from the Indian
government.
Bodo Rebellion—(Mid-1980s-Present):
The National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) is
fighting for a separate state within India. They feel
that their ethnic group is persecuted by the Assamese and
Bengali groups which dominate the region.
Indonesia: Minor
Wars—A series of rebellions against the
government, along with sectarian and ethnic violence between
Indonesia’s many ethnic and religious groups continues
to threaten the unity and perhaps the continued survival of
Indonesia. These
do not include the recently resolved conflict in East Timor,
which resulted in that island’s independence.
West Papua Rebellion—(1965-Present):
Aceh Rebellion—(mid-1980s-Present):
Ambon Ethnic
Violence—(1999-Present)
Sulawesi Sectarian
Violence—(1998-Present): Violence between
Muslims and Christians on the island of Sulawesi. Violence escalated in mid-2001, when thousands of
members of a fundamentalist Muslim militia called Laskar
Jihad arrived from the island of Java.
Iranian Mujahadeen
Khalq Guerrilla War—(1979-Present): After the
Iranian Revolution in 1979 toppled the government of the
Shah, the Mujahadeen Khalq soon began a bloody guerrilla war
against the new Islamic government.
The Mujahadeen are currently based in Iraq and conduct
cross-border raids into Iran, as well as conducting urban
guerrilla operations in the cities and conducting political
assassinations. Iran
occasionally launches raids against Khalq bases in Iraq.
Japanese Coast Guard
Sinking of Suspected Spy Ship—(Dec. 21 and 22,
2001): The Japanese Coast Guard chased a suspected spy ship
and sank it. Crewmembers of the spy ship fired on the
Japanese ships, wounding two Coast Guard sailors. The spy
ship crew all perished when their vessel sank. Japan
suspects the ship was North Korean.
Korean Border Battle
at Sea—(June 28, 2002): North and South Korean
naval vessels fought a twenty-minute gun battle in which 4
South Korean sailors died and 18 wounded near Yeonpyeong
island in the Yellow Sea. A South Korean vessel was sunk and
a North Korean vessel sustained damage, with casualties.
This is one of several Korean border fights in recent years.
News
link—BBC
Korean Border
Battle—(Nov. 27, 2001): The first cross-border shooting of 2001 between
North and South Korea. North Korean troops fired several
shots at a South Korean guard post. The South Koreans
returned fire.
Kurdish Rebellion in
Iraq—(1991-Present): Following Iraq's defeat in
the Second
Persian Gulf War (1990-1991), Iraq's Kurds rebelled,
seeking independence. This is the latest in a long series of
Kurdish uprisings. The Kurds currently enjoy autonomy in north Iraq
under the protection of the United States and the United
Kingdom.
Kurdish Rebellion in
Turkey—(1984-Present): Rebel groups of the Kurdish
ethnic group seek independence from Turkey.
Namibia:
Caprivi Uprising—(Aug. 2, 1999-Present): The
Caprivi Liberation Army, led by Namibian politician Mishake
Muyongo, claims that the government is neglecting their
region. Guerrillas attacked Namibian military and police on
August 2 in the Caprivi area.
Niger Army Mutiny—(
July 31-Aug. 9, 2002): Forces loyal to the government of
Niger put down an army mutiny that had spread to several
army garrisons across the country. The uprising is believed
related to low pay for army soldiers.
News
link--BBC
Nigerian Minor
Conflicts—(1991-Present): Various ethnic and
religious groups in Nigeria engage in sporadic communal
violence. More detail to be added soon.
Oromo Rebellion in
Ethiopia—(1973-Present): Long-running rebellion by
the Oromo Liberation Front. The OLF is currently allied to
Eritrea, the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) and
with the Aideed clan in Somalia--all of which are fighting
the Ethiopian regime. See Ethiopian-Oromo
Conflicts
Russian Bombing of
Pankisi Gorge in Georgia—(September, 2002):
Russian warplanes bombed the Pankisi Gorge in Georgia, which
borders on Chechnya. Russia
claimed that Chechen rebels used the Gorge as a staging area
for attacks on Russian forces in Chechnya.
Georgia protested the attacks.
Shiite Muslim
Rebellion in Iraq--—(1991-Present): Following Iraq's defeat in
the Second
Persian Gulf War (1990-1991), Iraq's Shiites, a
religious minority, rebelled against the government.
Low-level guerrilla warfare continues in the southern
marshes.
Somali Civil War
(state of anarchy)—(1991-Present): The Somali
government ceased to exist following the 1991 overthrow of
dictator Siade Barre. Rival Somali groups fight for
advantage but the net result is anarchy. In 1992 and 1993, United
Nations forces, led by the United States, attempted to bring
order to the country and head off a famine.
After incurring casualties, the U.S. and the U.N.
withdrew.
Tuareg Rebellion in
Niger—
Yemen Tribal Conflict—(Dec.
19, 2001): Yemeni armed forces moved against several
villages of the Abida tribe suspected of harboring al-Qaida
fugitives. 24 soldiers and 16 members of the Adiba tribe
perished. American Special Forces were in Yemen to train the
government military so that operations such as this one
against suspected terrorists could be undertaken.
No Americans are known to have taken part in this
operation. (part of America’s
world wide War on Terrorism)--
Recently concluded
or suspended wars and conflicts in the world—Wars
and conflicts which, as of this page’s latest update,
are concluded due to a cease-fire, peace treaty or some
other apparently permanent cessation of hostilities. Many of these conflicts can easily re-erupt into
violence. Generally,
conflicts remain in this category until ten years have
passed without a resumption of war.
Alphabetical listing.
Angolan Civil War—(1975-April
4, 2002): After jointly fighting for independence against
Portugal, the MPLA and UNITA, two rebel groups, fell into
civil war over control of Angola. In the 1970s and the
1980s, the MPLA accepted aid from Cuba and the Soviet Union,
while UNITA took aid from South Africa and the United
States. UNITA used bases in neighboring Congo, which led the
MPLA-led Angolan government to intervene in the Congolese
Wars. After UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi’s death in
early 2002, negotiations led to the April cease-fire.
Cambodian Civil
War--
Chiapas Uprising in
Mexico (“Zapatista Uprising”)—(Jan. 1,
1994- Present): Zapatista rebels, most of whom are Mexican
Indians, launched a rebellion in the Southern state of
Chiapas. Though no outright fighting has taken place since
a
Congo-Brazzaville
Civil War—(1997-2000):
East Timor War—(1975-1999)
Egyptian Muslim
Rebellion—(1992-2000): Fundamentalist Muslim
rebels seek to topple the secular Egyptian government. At
least 1,200 people have perished since the beginning of the
rebellion. The conflict was primarily waged as an urban
guerrilla/terrorist war.
The opposition Muslim Brotherhood took part in elections in
2000, indicating that they felt armed force would not
work.
Second
Eritrea-Ethiopia War—(1998-2000): Border war
between two heavily armed east African neighbors with a long
and violent history between them. Eritrea gained
independence from Ethiopia in 1993 following a 30-year
guerilla war.
Fiji Civil
War--
Georgian
Military Revolt--
Guinea-Bissau
Civil War and Intervention—(1998-1999): An
army rebellion against the Guinea-Bissau government plunged
this West African nation into a violent civil war.
Neighboring Senegal and Guinea-Conakry sent troops to aid
the government. Despite this aid, the war ended with the
rebel leader in control of the nation. Senegal intervened partially
due to the rebellion in its own Casamance region, which
borders on Guinea-Bissau.
Haiti Coup
Attempt –( Dec. 17, 2001):
Israeli Occupation of
Southern Lebanon –(1982-2000): Following the
1982-1984 Israeli Invasion and Occupation of Southern
Lebanon, a border war has began in which Islamic and
Palestinian guerrillas seek to drive Israeli troops from a
strip of southern Lebanon which they occupied with the aid
of the anti-government South Lebanon Army. Israel
occasionally bombed and shelled areas throughout Lebanon.
Israel withdrew from Southern Lebanon in mid-2000.
Intervention
in Lesotho by South Africa and Botswana—Following
election-related violence in Lesotho, neighboring South
Africa and Botswana intervened to preserve the current
government.
Kosovo
War—(1998-1999): The latest round of the
Yugoslav Civil War (or Third Balkan War) began as another
ethnic rebellion against Serbian authority. NATO intervened
to halt what it called the ethnic cleansing of Kosovo,
turning this backwater war into a relatively significant air
campaign leading to the liberation of the province from
Serbian Yugoslav authority.
Madagascar Civil
War—( June, 2002-July 7, 2002): Didier Ratsiraka
and Marc Ravalomanana ran against each other in Madagascar’s
presidential election of December 16, 2001. They disagreed
on who should take charge of the government following
Ravalomanana’s apparent victory, and violence between
their supporters broke out in June, 2002. Ratsiraka fled the
country in July after Ravalomanana gained the diplomatic
support of the United States and France. BBC
News Link
Peruvian Civil
War—(1980-2000): The Peruvian government defeated
the Maoist Sendero
Luminoso (Shining Path) and the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Saharan
War—(1975-Present): A truce has been in place
since 1991, but a permanent peace deal has not yet been
reached. The Western Sahara is a former Spanish colony. When
the Spanish left their Saharan colony, Morocco and
Mauritania seized the area and the native Saharawi began a
struggle for independence.
Mauritania gave up its portion of the Western Sahara in 1979
and ended participation in the war.
Saudi-Yemen
Border Conflict—(1998): Border conflict
between two neighbors who have never gotten along.
The border is ill defined and has been a source of conflict
for decades.
Senegal Civil War (“Casamance
War”)--
Sierra Leone Civil
War—(March, 1991-2002):
Tajikistan Civil
War—(1992-1997):
Yemeni
Tribal Uprising—(1998): Rebellion by rural
tribesmen protesting the poor economy. The Yemeni government
alleges that Saudi Arabia coaxed the rebels into violence.
Conflict between the government and the interior tribes occurs
often.
Major Acts of
Terrorism—This section is not yet complete, but
will show major acts of terrorism from around the world.
These attacks will be categorized by either the country they
take place in, and/or the organization that conducted them.
Terrorist acts which are an integral part of a major conflict
(such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict), generally will
not appear here. Some attacks will appear
twice, in the category showing where they took place and in
the category showing who implemented the attack.
United States,
Attacks in/or against— Attacks taking place in the
United States or against American targets around the
world.
Terrorist
attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon—( September 11, 2001): Terrorists belonging to Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaida
organization, hijacked four United States commercial
passenger planes and flew them into the World Trade Center
in New York City and the Pentagon in Virginia. The fourth
plane crashed in Pennsylvania.
This event triggered the Coalition invasion/liberation of
Afghanistan and the continuing worldwide War on
Terrorism.
al-Qaida, Attacks by—The
radical fundamentalist Islamic organization dedicated to
eliminating American influence in the Middle East
(particularly in Saudi Arabia) and to the destruction of
Israel.
Attack on Israeli tourists in Kenya
(Nov. 28, 2002): Israeli tourists in Kenya were
targeted in two coordinated, nearly simultaneous attacks. Al-Qaida is a leading suspect
in these attacks. Three
men drove a SUV into an Israeli-owned Mombassa hotel,
killing themselves and 13 others (10 Kenyans and 3
Israelis), destroying the hotel building. Then, as an Israeli passenger
plane was taking off enroute back to Israel, two
surface-to-air missiles were launched. One missile clipped the
plane, but failed to explode.
The other missile missed its target.
Attack on the French oil tanker
Limburg (Oct. 6, 2002): An explosion caused by
suicide terrorists, similar to the attack on the USS Cole
two years earlier, killed one crewman of the
Limburg and caused the spillage of over 90,000
barrels of oil into the Gulf of Aden.
Bali Bombing—(Oct. 12,
2002): Al-Qaida is suspected in the bombing of a
nightclub frequented by foreign tourists in Bali,
Indonesia. Among the 200 dead are at
least 70 Australians, 21 Britons and 7 Americans.
Tunisian Synagogue
Bombing—(April 11, 2002): A natural gas filled
truck crashed into a synagogue in Djerba, Tunisia. The blast killed 17 people, most of whom were
German tourists. This
was believed to be al-Qaida’s first attack outside
Afghanistan since Sept. 11.
Terrorist
attack on the World Trade Center and the
Pentagon—( September 11, 2001): Terrorists belonging to Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaida
organization, hijacked four United States commercial
passenger planes and flew them into the World Trade
Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Virginia. The
fourth plane crashed in Pennsylvania.
This event triggered the Coalition invasion/liberation of
Afghanistan and the continuing worldwide War on
Terrorism.
Attack
on the USS Cole—(October 12, 2000):
U.S. Embassy
Bombings –(August 8, 1998):
SOURCES:
1. Kohn, George C. Dictionary
of Wars. New York: Facts On File
Publications. 1986.
2. Marley, David F. Wars of the Americas: A Chronology
of Armed Conflict in the New World, 1492 to the Present.
Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, 1998.
3. Langer, William L., ed. An Encyclopedia of World
History. 5th ed. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton
Mifflin, 1972.
4. Banks, Arthur S., ed. Political Handbook of the
World: 1994-1995. 5th ed. Binghamton, NY: CSA
Publications, 1995.
5. Project
Ploughshares--http://www.ploughshares.ca/
The
Correlates of War (COW) Project
Please cite this source when
appropriate:
MLA
Style:
Lee, Roger A.
"New and Recent Wars & Conflicts of the World." 25 Aug. 2002. The History
Guy Website. Date accessed
<http://www.historyguy.com/current_conflicts/index.html>.
APA
Style:
Lee, R.A.
(2002). New and Recent Wars & Conflicts of the World.
The History Guy Website [# of pages or paragraphs].
Retrieved [insert date]
from http://www.historyguy.com/current_conflicts/index.html
Copyright © 1998-2009 Roger A. Lee
and History Guy Media; Last Modified: 10.02.09
"The History Guy" is a Registered Trademark.
Afghanistan
War (2001-Present)--The war
in Afghnistan began with the American and allied response to
the 9/11 terror attacks on the United States. The Taliban
government was overthrown, and a new regime installed. The
U.S. the Afghan government, and NATO forces are still trying
to pacify parts of the country where the Taliban and
al-Qaida forces operate.
Read the latest
news stories on the Afghanistan War
collected for you on the
History Guy's War and Conflict Journal Blog.
Ethiopian
Intervention in Somali Civil
War (2006-Present)- The
long-standing Somali Civil War (1988-Present) entered a new
phase with the growth of the Union of Islamic Courts, an
Islamic militant group, gained control of Mogadishu and the
central part of Somali. The UIC is in opposition to the
official, yet weak, government based in Baidoa. In late
2006, Ethiopia sent troops to Baidoa to support the
government against the Islamic forces. In late December,
2006, Ethiopian planes bombed the Mogadishu airport and
ground troops seized control of three towns, including one
on the border.
Nations/Groups involved: Ethiopia,
Somali Transitional Government, United States vs. Islamic
Militants.
Read the latest
news stories on the Ethiopia-Somalia
Conflict collected for you
on the History Guy's War and Conflict Journal
Blog.
Hmong
Insurgency in Laos
(1975-Present): The Hmong ethnic group have fought the
Communist government since it took power following the end
of the Vietnam (2nd Indochina) War in 1975. Vietnam provides
military aid and troops to the Laotian government
periodically.
Nations/Groups involved: Laos, Vietnam
vs. Hmong rebels.
Naxalite
Guerrilla War (May 25,
1967-Present): Beginning with a peasant uprising in the town
of Naxalbari, this Marxist/Maoist rebellion sputters on in
the Indian countryside. The guerrillas operate among the
impoverished peasants and fight both the government security
forces and the private paramilitary groups funded by wealthy
landowners. Most fighting takes place in the states of
Andhra Pradesh, Mahrashtra, Orissa and Madhya
Pradesh.
Nations/Groups involved: India vs.
Naxalite Communist rebels.
Naga Rebellion (1952-Present): The
Naga ethnic group sought independence from India. A
cease-fire took effect in 1997, though some Naga groups
continue to oppose the government.
Nations/Groups involved: India vs.
Naga rebels.
North
Lebanon Conflict
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