Today, global wars are a thing of the past: even the latest studies show that in the third millennium, significantly fewer people die during armed conflicts. But despite this, an unstable situation persists in many regions, and now and then hot spots continue to appear on the map. Here are ten of the most significant armed conflicts and military crises that threaten the world right now.

Zones of military tension are marked in red on the maps

Members
Government troops, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), scattered Sunni groups, the autonomy of Iraqi Kurdistan.

The essence of the conflict
The terrorist organization ISIS wants to build a caliphate - an Islamic theocratic state - on part of the territories of Iraq and Syria, and so far the authorities have not been able to successfully resist the militants. The Iraqi Kurds took advantage of the ISIS offensive - they freely captured several large oil-producing regions and are going to secede from Iraq.

Current situation
The ISIS caliphate is already stretching from the Syrian city of Aleppo to the border areas of Baghdad. So far, government forces have managed to recapture only a few large cities - Tikrit and Uja. The autonomy of Iraqi Kurdistan has freely taken control of several large oil-producing regions and is going to hold a referendum on independence in the near future.

Members
Israel Defense Forces, Hamas, Fatah, the civilian population of the Gaza Strip.

The essence of the conflict
Israel has launched Operation Protective Wall to destroy the infrastructure of the terrorist movement Hamas and other terrorist organizations in the Gaza region. The immediate cause was the increased rocket attacks on Israeli territories and the kidnapping of three Jewish teenagers.

Current situation
On July 17, the ground phase of the operation began after Hamas militants violated a five-hour truce to organize humanitarian corridors. According to the UN, by the time the temporary truce was concluded, there were already more than 200 dead among the civilian population. The Palestinian President's Fatah Party has already stated that their people "will repulse Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip."

Members
Syrian Armed Forces, National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, Syrian Kurdistan, Al-Qaeda, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Islamic Front, Ahrar ash-Sham, Al-Nusra Front and others.

The essence of the conflict
The war in Syria began after a harsh crackdown on anti-government demonstrations that began in the region in the wake of the Arab Spring. The armed confrontation between the army of Bashar al-Assad and the moderate opposition has escalated into a civil war that has affected the entire country - now in Syria, about 1,500 different rebel groups with a total number of 75 to 115 thousand people have joined the conflict. The most powerful armed formations are radical Islamists.

Current situation
Today, most of the country is controlled by the Syrian army, but the northern regions of Syria have been captured by ISIS. Assad's forces are attacking moderate opposition forces in Aleppo, near Damascus, the confrontation between terrorists from ISIS and militants of the Islamic Front has intensified, and in the north of the country the Kurds are also confronting ISIS.


Members
The Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine, the militia of the Donetsk People's Republic, the militia of the Luhansk People's Republic, the "Russian Orthodox Army", Russian volunteers and others.

The essence of the conflict
After the annexation of Crimea to Russia and the change of power in Kyiv in the South-East of Ukraine in April of this year, the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics were proclaimed pro-Russian armed groups. The Ukrainian government and the newly elected President Poroshenko launched a military operation against the separatists.

Current situation
On July 17, a Malaysian airliner crashed over the territories controlled by the separatists. Kyiv called the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic fighters responsible for the deaths of 298 people - the Ukrainian authorities are convinced that the separatists have air defense systems that the Russian side handed over to them. The DNR denied any involvement in the plane crash. Representatives of the OSCE are currently working at the crash site. However, the separatists have shot down planes before, though not at such a height and with the help of man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems. To date, the armed forces of Ukraine have managed to recapture part of the territories from the separatists, in particular the city of Slavyansk.

Members
Government troops, Boko Haram.

The essence of the conflict
Since 2002, the sect of radical Islamists Boko Haram has been operating on the territory of Nigeria, which advocates the introduction of sharia law throughout the country, while only part of the state is inhabited by Muslims. Over the past five years, Boko Haram adherents have armed themselves and now regularly carry out terrorist attacks, kidnappings and mass executions. The victims of terrorists are Christians and secular Muslims. The country's leadership failed negotiations with Boko Haram and is not yet able to suppress the group, which already controls entire regions.

Current situation
Some Nigerian states have been in a state of emergency for a year now. On July 17, the President of Nigeria asked for financial assistance from the international community: the country's army has too outdated and small weapons to fight terrorists. Since April this year, Boko Haram has been holding hostage over 250 schoolgirls who have been kidnapped for ransom or sale into slavery.

Members
Dinka tribal union, Nuer tribal union, UN peacekeeping force, Uganda.

The essence of the conflict
In the midst of a political crisis in December 2013, the president of South Sudan announced that his former associate and vice president had attempted to stage a military coup in the country. Mass arrests and riots began, which later escalated into violent armed clashes between two tribal unions: the country's president belongs to the Nuer dominant in politics and the composition of the population, and the disgraced vice president and his supporters belong to the Dinka, the second largest nationality of the state.

Current situation
The rebels control the main oil-producing areas - the basis of the economy of South Sudan. The UN sent a peacekeeping contingent to the epicenter of the conflict to protect the civilian population: more than 10 thousand people were killed in the country, and 700 thousand became forced refugees. In May, the warring parties began negotiations for a truce, but the former vice president and head of the rebels admitted that he could not fully control the rebels. The settlement of the conflict is hampered by the presence in the country of the troops of neighboring Uganda, who are on the side of the government forces of South Sudan.


Members
More than 10 drug cartels, government troops, police, self-defense units.

The essence of the conflict
For several decades, there was a feud between drug cartels in Mexico, but the corrupt government tried not to interfere in the struggle of groups for drug trafficking. The situation changed when, in 2006, newly elected President Felipe Calderon sent regular army troops to one of the states to restore order there.
The confrontation escalated into a war of the combined forces of the police and the army against dozens of drug cartels across the country.

Current situation
During the years of conflict, drug cartels in Mexico have turned into real corporations - now they control and divide among themselves the market for sex services, counterfeit goods, weapons, and software. In the government and the media, the big cartels have their own lobbyists and agents who work on public opinion. The war of the cartels specifically for drug trafficking has become secondary, now they are fighting among themselves for control over communications: major highways, ports, border towns. Government forces are losing this war primarily due to widespread corruption and the massive defection of the armed forces to the side of the drug cartels. In some particularly crime-prone regions, the population has formed a militia because they do not trust the local police.

Members
Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan.

The essence of the conflict
The tense situation in the region is supported by Afghanistan, which has been unstable for decades, on the one hand, and Uzbekistan, which has entered into territorial disputes, on the other. The main drug traffic in the Eastern Hemisphere also passes through these countries - a powerful source of regular armed clashes between criminal groups.

Current situation
After the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and the presidential elections in the country, another crisis erupted. The Taliban launched a large-scale offensive against Kabul, while the participants in the election race refused to recognize the results of the presidential election.
In January of this year, an armed conflict between the border services began on the border of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan - each side is sure that the border of the other was violated. Until now, there is no agreement between the countries on a clear demarcation of borders. Uzbekistan also presented its territorial claims to neighboring Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan - the country's authorities are not satisfied with the borders that were formed as a result of the collapse of the USSR. A few weeks ago, the next stage of negotiations began to resolve the conflict, which from 2012 can at any moment develop into an armed one.


Members
China, Vietnam, Japan, Philippines.

The essence of the conflict
After the annexation of Crimea to Russia, the situation in the region escalated again - China again started talking about territorial claims against Vietnam. The disputes concern the small but strategically important Paracel Islands and the Spratly archipelago. The conflict is exacerbated by the militarization of Japan. Tokyo decided to revise its peace constitution, begin militarization and increase its military presence in the Senkaku archipelago, which is also claimed by the PRC.

Current situation
China has completed the development of oil fields near the disputed islands, which caused protests from Vietnam. The Philippines sent its military to support Vietnam and carried out an action that angered Beijing - the troops of the two countries played football in the Spratly archipelago. There are still Chinese warships a short distance from the Paracel Islands. Among other things, Hanoi claims that the Chinese have already deliberately sunk one Vietnamese fishing boat and damaged 24 others. However, at the same time, China and the Philippines are opposed to Japan's course towards militarization.


Members
France, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Sudan, Eritrea and other neighboring countries.

The essence of the conflict
In 2012, the Sahel region experienced its biggest humanitarian crisis, with the negative impact of the crisis in Mali coinciding with acute food shortages. During the civil war, most of the Tuareg from Libya emigrated to northern Mali. There they proclaimed the independent state of Azawad. In 2013, the military of Mali accused the president of being unable to cope with the separatists and staged a military coup. At the same time, France sent its troops to the territory of Mali to fight the Tuareg and radical Islamists who joined them from neighboring countries. The Sahel is home to the African continent's largest markets for arms, slaves, drugs, and the main havens for dozens of terrorist organizations.

Current situation
The UN estimates that more than 11 million people in the Sahel region are currently suffering from hunger. And in the near future this number may increase to 18 million. In Mali, clashes between government troops and the French army against Tuareg partisan detachments and radical Islamists continue, despite the fall of the self-proclaimed state of Azawad. And this only exacerbates the unstable situation and the humanitarian crisis in the region - in 2014, the presence of terrorist groups increased in almost all countries of the Sahel.

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A political map of the World. Geography of world natural resources.

Geography, 10th grade.

Test

1. The process of complete deforestation is most typical for:

B. South America

V. Europe

G. Australia

2. Liquid production waste pollutes primarily:

A. Hydrosphere

B. Atmosphere

B. Lithosphere

3. The richest in mineral resources:

A. Russia, USA, Canada, Australia, China

B. Japan, Switzerland, UK

B. Middle East

South Africa, Canada, Australia

4. Main region of irrigated agriculture:

B. Africa

B. Europe

D. South America

5. The coastal zone is considered to be the territorial waters of the state with a width of:

B. 100 miles

6. Most "hot spots" you will find on the map:

A. Europe

V. North America

G. South America

7. An important role in the settlement of international conflicts is played by:

D. Red Cross

8. NATO expansion to the east is a complex military-political problem for:

A. Estonia and Latvia

B. Russia

V. Poland and Hungary

G. Czech Republic and Slovakia

9. The high level of economic and social development of the country is characterized primarily by:

A. Population

B. GDP per capita

B. Population density

D. Prices for newspapers and magazines

10. An example of the unification of countries into one state can be:

A. Yugoslavia

B. Russia

B. Czechoslovakia

D. Germany

11. The countries of the "resettlement" type include:

A. India, China, Israel, South Africa

B. Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa

V. USA, UK, Australia

12. The largest number of developing countries are in:

A. Asia, Africa, Latin America, Oceania

B. Southeast Asia

The most intense events in recent years have occurred in the following regions of the Earth:

• Afghanistan;
• Iraq;
• Africa;
• Syria;
• Gaza Strip;
• Mexico;
• Philippines;
• Eastern Ukraine.

Afghanistan

The government of Afghanistan, which is forced to spend time and energy fighting between warring factions, has been unable to maintain peace in the country and the security of its citizens since the withdrawal of NATO troops in 2014.

In 2012, relations between the US and Afghanistan deteriorated sharply. The culmination of the events was the mass execution of villagers in the province of Kandahar, which was carried out by an American soldier. Among the 17 victims of the massacre were nine children.

These events led to widespread unrest and provoked a series of military actions by the Afghan military.

Experts believe that in the coming years, the country's ruling elite will continue to be torn apart by sharp contradictions. And the Taliban guerrilla movement will certainly take advantage of these differences to achieve their extremist goals.

Iraq

The Shiite government of Iraq is increasingly in conflict with other ethnic and religious groups within the country. The ruling elites seek to take control of all institutions of power. This leads to a violation of the already unstable balance between Shiite, Kurdish and Sunni groups.

Iraqi government troops confront the Islamic State. At one time, the terrorists managed to include several cities in Iraq into their "caliphate". Tensions persist in that part of the country where the positions of the Kurds are strong, who do not give up their attempts to create Iraqi Kurdistan.

Experts note that violence in the country is becoming more pronounced. The country is likely to face a new round of civil war.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Trouble spots in Africa:

• Mali;
• Kenya;
• Sudan;
• Congo;
• Somalia.

Since 2012, tensions have been growing in those countries of the "dark continent" that are located south of the Sahara. The list of "hot spots" here is headed by Mali, where power has changed as a result of a coup d'état.

Another disturbing conflict has emerged in the Sahel region of Northern Nigeria. In recent years, radical Islamists from the odious Boko Haram group have killed thousands of civilians. The government of the country is trying to apply tough measures, but the violence is only expanding: new forces from among the youth are pouring into the ranks of extremists.

For more than two decades lawlessness reigns in Somalia. So far, neither the legitimate government of the country, nor the UN peacekeeping forces can stop these destructive processes. And even the intervention of neighboring countries did not lead to an end to the violence centered on radical Islamists.

Experts believe that only a balanced and clear state policy can change the situation in this part of Africa.

Kenya

Conditions for conflict continue to exist in the country. Kenya is characterized by high youth unemployment, appalling poverty and social inequality. The security reforms that had been initiated were put on hold. Experts are most concerned about the growing ethnic disunity of the population.

The threat from militant groups that have settled in Somalia does not stop. The response to their attacks may be a militant reaction from the local Muslim community.

Sudan

The secession in 2011 of the southern part of the country did not solve the so-called "Sudan problem". The small local elite continues to accumulate wealth and seeks to control power in the country. The situation in this "hot spot" is aggravated by the growing confrontation between peoples that make up different ethnic groups.

The ruling party is torn apart by internal divisions. The general deterioration of the social situation and the recession in the economy lead to an increase in discontent among the people. There is a growing struggle against the unification of large groups in the states of Blue Nile, Darfur and South Kordofan. Military operations empty the state treasury. Civilian casualties have become commonplace.

According to experts, during the so-called Darfur conflict, at least 200 thousand people died, more than two million became refugees.

As one of the instruments of bargaining, the government uses the humanitarian aid coming to Sudan. This turns mass starvation among ordinary people into an element of the military and political strategy of the state.

Syria

The conflict in this country remains at the top of international news. The number of victims is growing. Western media every day predict the fall of the "regime" of Assad. He continues to be accused of deliberately using chemical weapons against the people of his country.

The struggle between supporters and opponents of the current government continues in the country. The gradual radicalization of the opposition movement is shaking the situation, the spiral of military confrontation is beginning to unwind with renewed vigor.

The ongoing violence strengthens the position of the Islamists. They manage to rally around themselves those who have been disappointed by the policies of the Western powers.

Members of the world community are strenuously trying to coordinate their actions in the region and turn the conflict into the plane of a political settlement.

In the eastern part of Syria, government forces have not been conducting active military operations for a long time. The activity of the Syrian army and Russian forces allied with it has moved to the western regions of the country.

The southern part of Homs province is dominated by the Americans, who from time to time clash with pro-government troops. Against this background, the population of the country continues to suffer hardships.

Gaza Strip

The list of problem regions also includes the Middle East. Here are Israel, the Palestinian territories and Lebanon. The civilian population of the region continues to be under the control of local terrorist organizations, the largest of which are Fatah and Hamas. From time to time, the Middle East is shaken by rocket attacks and kidnappings.

An old cause of conflict is the confrontation between Israel and the Arabs. In the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Islamist movement is gradually gaining strength, against which Israel regularly conducts military operations.

Mexico

There are conditions for conflict on the other side of the planet. In North America, Mexico remains a hotspot. Narcotic substances are produced and distributed here on an industrial scale. There are gigantic drug cartels in the country, the history of which goes back more than one decade. These structures are assisted by corrupt government officials. Cartels boast very wide connections: they have their own people in the army, the police, in the top leadership of the country

Between the warring criminal structures every now and then there are bloody conflicts, in which the civilian population is involuntarily involved. Law enforcement and the Mexican army are involved in this ongoing confrontation, but it is not possible to succeed in the war against the drug mafia. In some states of the country, the population does not trust the police so much that they even began to create local self-defense units there.

Philippines

For several decades, the conflict between the government of the country and the armed groups of Islamic separatists who have settled in the south of the Philippines has continued. The demand of the rebels is the formation of an independent Muslim state.

When the position of the so-called "Islamic State" in the Middle East was greatly shaken, part of the Islamists from this region rushed to Southeast Asia, including the Philippines. Philippine government troops conduct regular operations against the rebels, who, in turn, stage periodic attacks on law enforcement forces.

Eastern Ukraine

Part of the former space of the USSR also turned into a "hot spot" of the planet. The reason for the protracted conflict was the desire of certain territories of Ukraine for independence. Serious passions boil in this cauldron, which has spread to Luhansk and Donetsk: ethnic conflicts, acts of terror, and assassinations of the leaders of the insurgent side are mixed with the threat of a full-scale civil war. The number of victims of military confrontation is growing every day.

The situation in Donbas remains one of the central topics in news feeds around the world. Kyiv and the West in every way accuse Russia of contributing to the expansion and deepening of the conflict, helping the self-proclaimed republics of the South-East of Ukraine. The Russian authorities have consistently denied these allegations and continue to call for a diplomatic solution to the issue.

It seems that today wars are a thing of the past: even recent studies show that in the third millennium, significantly fewer people die during armed clashes. However, in many regions, the unstable situation remains, and now and then hot spots continue to appear on the map.

We have selected ten of the most significant armed conflicts and military crises that threaten the world right now.

Zones of military tension are marked in red on the maps

Iraq

Members
Government troops, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), scattered Sunni groups, the autonomy of Iraqi Kurdistan.

The essence of the conflict
The terrorist organization ISIS wants to build a caliphate, an Islamic theocratic state, on part of the territories of Iraq and Syria, and so far the authorities have not been able to successfully resist the militants. The Iraqi Kurds took advantage of the ISIS offensive - they freely captured several large oil-producing regions and are going to secede from Iraq.

Current situation
The ISIS caliphate is already stretching from the Syrian city of Aleppo to the border areas of Baghdad. So far, government troops have managed to recapture only a few large cities - Tikrit and Uja. The autonomy of Iraqi Kurdistan has freely taken control of several large oil-producing regions and is going to hold a referendum on independence in the near future.

Gaza Strip

Members
Israel Defense Forces, Hamas, Fatah, the civilian population of the Gaza Strip.

The essence of the conflict
Israel has launched Operation Protective Wall to destroy the infrastructure of the terrorist movement Hamas and other terrorist organizations in the Gaza region. The immediate cause was the increased rocket attacks on Israeli territories and the kidnapping of three Jewish teenagers.

Current situation
On July 17, the ground phase of the operation began after Hamas militants violated a five-hour truce to organize humanitarian corridors. According to the UN, by the time the temporary truce was concluded, there were already more than 200 dead among the civilian population. The Palestinian President's Fatah Party has already stated that their people "will repulse Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip."

Syria

Members
Syrian Armed Forces, National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, Syrian Kurdistan, Al-Qaeda, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Islamic Front, Ahrar ash-Sham, Al-Nusra Front and others.

The essence of the conflict
The war in Syria began after a harsh crackdown on anti-government demonstrations that began in the region in the wake of the Arab Spring. The armed confrontation between the army of Bashar al-Assad and the moderate opposition escalated into a civil war that affected the entire country - now in Syria, about 1,500 different rebel groups with a total number of 75 to 115 thousand people have joined the conflict. The most powerful armed formations are radical Islamists.

Current situation
Today, most of the country is controlled by the Syrian army, but the northern regions of Syria have been captured by ISIS. Assad's forces are attacking moderate opposition forces in Aleppo, near Damascus, the confrontation between terrorists from ISIS and militants of the Islamic Front has intensified, and in the north of the country the Kurds are also confronting ISIS.

Ukraine

Members
The Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine, the militia of the Donetsk People's Republic, the militia of the Luhansk People's Republic, the "Russian Orthodox Army", Russian volunteers and others.

The essence of the conflict
After the annexation of Crimea to Russia and the change of power in Kyiv in the South-East of Ukraine in April of this year, with the support of Moscow, the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics were proclaimed by pro-Russian armed groups. The Ukrainian government and the newly elected President Poroshenko launched a military operation against the separatists.

Current situation
On July 17, a Malaysian airliner crashed over the territories controlled by the separatists. Kyiv called the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic fighters responsible for the deaths of 223 people - the Ukrainian authorities are convinced that the separatists have air defense systems that the Russian side handed over to them. The DNR denied any involvement in the plane crash. Representatives of the OSCE are currently working at the crash site. However, the separatists have shot down planes before, though not at such a height and with the help of man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems. To date, the armed forces of Ukraine have managed to recapture part of the territories from the separatists, in particular the city of Slavyansk.

Nigeria

Members
Government troops, Boko Haram.

The essence of the conflict
Since 2002, the sect of radical Islamists Boko Haram has been operating on the territory of Nigeria, which advocates the introduction of sharia law throughout the country, while only part of the state is inhabited by Muslims. Over the past five years, Boko Haram adherents have armed themselves and now regularly carry out terrorist attacks, kidnappings and mass executions. The victims of terrorists are Christians and secular Muslims. The country's leadership failed negotiations with Boko Haram and is not yet able to suppress the group, which already controls entire regions.

Current situation
Some Nigerian states have been in a state of emergency for a year now. On July 17, the President of Nigeria asked for financial assistance from the international community: the country's army has too outdated and small weapons to fight terrorists. Since April this year, Boko Haram has been holding hostage over 250 schoolgirls who have been kidnapped for ransom or sale into slavery.

South Sudan

Members
Dinka tribal union, Nuer tribal union, UN peacekeeping force, Uganda.

The essence of the conflict
In the midst of a political crisis in December 2013, the president of South Sudan announced that his former associate and vice president had attempted to stage a military coup in the country. Mass arrests and riots began, which later escalated into violent armed clashes between two tribal unions: the country's president belongs to the Nuer dominant in politics and the composition of the population, and the disgraced vice president and his supporters belong to the Dinka, the second largest nationality of the state.

Current situation
The rebels control the main oil-producing areas - the basis of the economy of South Sudan. The UN sent a peacekeeping contingent to the epicenter of the conflict to protect the civilian population: more than 10 thousand people were killed in the country, and 700 thousand became forced refugees. In May, the warring parties began negotiations for a truce, but the former vice president and head of the rebels admitted that he could not fully control the rebels. The settlement of the conflict is hampered by the presence in the country of the troops of neighboring Uganda, who are on the side of the government forces of South Sudan.

Mexico

Members
More than 10 drug cartels, government troops, police, self-defense units.

The essence of the conflict
For several decades, there was a feud between drug cartels in Mexico, but the corrupt government tried not to interfere in the struggle of groups for drug trafficking. The situation changed when, in 2006, newly elected President Felipe Calderon sent regular army troops to one of the states to restore order there.
The confrontation escalated into a war of the combined forces of the police and the army against dozens of drug cartels across the country.

Current situation
During the years of conflict, drug cartels in Mexico have turned into real corporations - now they control and divide among themselves the market for sex services, counterfeit goods, weapons, and software. In the government and the media, the big cartels have their own lobbyists and agents who work on public opinion. The war of the cartels specifically for drug trafficking has become secondary, now they are fighting among themselves for control over communications: major highways, ports, border towns. Government forces are losing this war primarily due to widespread corruption and the massive defection of the armed forces to the side of the drug cartels. In some particularly crime-prone regions, the population has formed a militia because they do not trust the local police.

central Asia

Members
Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan.

The essence of the conflict
The tense situation in the region is supported by Afghanistan, which has been unstable for decades, on the one hand, and Uzbekistan, which has entered into territorial disputes, on the other. The main drug traffic in the Eastern Hemisphere also passes through these countries - a powerful source of regular armed clashes between criminal groups.

Current situation
After the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and the presidential elections in the country, another crisis erupted. The Taliban launched a large-scale offensive against Kabul, while the participants in the election race refused to recognize the results of the presidential election.
In January of this year, an armed conflict between the border services began on the border of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan - each side is sure that the border of the other was violated. Until now, there is no agreement between the countries on a clear demarcation of borders. Uzbekistan also presented its territorial claims to neighboring Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan - the country's authorities are not satisfied with the borders that were formed as a result of the collapse of the USSR. A few weeks ago, the next stage of negotiations began to resolve the conflict, which from 2012 can at any moment develop into an armed one.

China and countries of the region

Members
China, Vietnam, Japan, Philippines.

The essence of the conflict
After the annexation of Crimea to Russia, the situation in the region escalated again - China again started talking about territorial claims against Vietnam. The disputes concern the small but strategically important Paracel Islands and the Spratly archipelago. The conflict is exacerbated by the militarization of Japan. Tokyo decided to revise its peace constitution, begin militarization and increase its military presence in the Senkaku archipelago, which is also claimed by the PRC.

Current situation
China has completed the development of oil fields near the disputed islands, which caused protests from Vietnam. The Philippines sent its military to support Vietnam and carried out an action that angered Beijing - the troops of the two countries played soccer in the Spratly archipelago. There are still Chinese warships a short distance from the Paracel Islands. Among other things, Hanoi claims that the Chinese have already deliberately sunk one Vietnamese fishing boat and damaged 24 others. However, at the same time, China and the Philippines are opposed to Japan's course towards militarization.

Sahel region

Members
France, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Sudan, Eritrea and other neighboring countries.

The essence of the conflict
In 2012, the Sahel region experienced its biggest humanitarian crisis, with the negative impact of the crisis in Mali coinciding with acute food shortages. During the civil war, most of the Tuareg from Libya emigrated to northern Mali. There they proclaimed the independent state of Azawad. In 2013, the military of Mali accused the president of being unable to cope with the separatists and staged a military coup. At the same time, France sent its troops to the territory of Mali to fight the Tuareg and radical Islamists who joined them from neighboring countries. The Sahel is home to the African continent's largest markets for arms, slaves, drugs, and the main havens for dozens of terrorist organizations.

Current situation
The UN estimates that more than 11 million people in the Sahel region are currently suffering from hunger. And in the near future this number may increase to 18 million. In Mali, clashes between government troops and the French army against Tuareg partisan detachments and radical Islamists continue, despite the fall of the self-proclaimed state of Azawad. And this only exacerbates the unstable situation and the humanitarian crisis in the region - in 2014, the presence of terrorist groups increased in almost all countries of the Sahel.

Image caption As a result of a car call in Makhachkala on May 20, 2013, four people were killed, dozens were injured

The FSB of Russia reported a decrease in the number of terrorist attacks in Russia in 2013 compared to last year. However, according to a recent report by the International Crisis Group, the North Caucasus is still the hottest spot in Europe.

In Makhachkala on Wednesday morning, two police officers died when they stopped a car for inspection, the department of the investigative committee for Dagestan reported.

"When trying to inspect the interior, the passenger of the car took out a pistol and opened fire. Two policemen were killed, one was wounded," the department told RIA Novosti.

The day before, the director of the FSB and the chairman of the National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAC) Alexander Bortnikov published statistics on "terrorist manifestations" in 2013, with the vast majority of them occurring in the Republic of Dagestan alone - 120 cases out of 144 across the country.

According to statistics from open sources, in terms of violence, the Russian North Caucasus as one of the "hot spots" of the planet is ahead of the Arab-Israeli conflict, the struggle of the Kurds for independence in Turkey and Iraq, the dispute between India and Pakistan over Kashmir and most of the "smoldering" conflicts in Africa, except for Sudan and Egypt.

However, the head of the FSB emphasizes that the number of "terrorist manifestations" in the Caucasus in 2013 decreased by half compared to the previous year (compared to the same period of the year), and this gives reason to talk about the success of the Russian special services in preventing terrorist attacks.

To date, the armed conflict in the North Caucasus remains the bloodiest in Europe Report of the International Crisis Group

"Tangible damage was inflicted on the infrastructure of the terrorist underground: a number of odious leaders were neutralized, 61 terrorist crimes were prevented, 456 caches and caches were identified and destroyed," the head of the FSB said on Tuesday at a meeting of the NAC in Sochi.

Manifestations of terror

Bortnikov did not specify what kind of "terrorist manifestations" he was talking about and how many people became their victims.

According to the statistics of the International Crisis Group, in the first half of 2013 and only in the North Caucasus, at least 242 people were killed, 253 were injured.

The ICG is an independent non-profit international organization led by former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour.

"To date, the armed conflict in the North Caucasus remains the bloodiest in Europe," the group's September report states.

"The level of violence is highest in Dagestan, followed by Chechnya and Ingushetia (in the latter the situation worsened in 2012)," the report states.

According to the information portal "Caucasian Knot", in Dagestan in the first half of 2013, 153 people were killed and 162 were injured.

"According to the calculations of the "Caucasian Knot", based on its own materials and information from open sources, for the period from April 1 to June 30, at least 207 people became victims of the armed confrontation, of which 86 people died and 121 were injured ... In the period from 1 From January to March 31, at least 108 people became victims of the armed confrontation, of which 67 people died and 41 were injured," writes kavkaz-uzel.ru.

The "Caucasian Knot" cites data on 160 cases of violence in Dagestan since the beginning of this year, which can be considered manifestations of terror.

Near the "hot spot"

Despite obvious positive developments, the situation in the North Caucasus is improving too slowly Vladimir Putin, President of Russia

Alexander Bortnikov assured that on the eve of and during the Winter Olympics in Sochi, the Russian special services would be as efficient as possible and at the same time comfortable for residents and participants in the Games to work to strengthen security.

In this regard, according to the head of the FSB of Russia, additional measures are being taken in Dagestan: the renovation of the infrastructure of checkpoints and border crossings in the main directions of possible infiltration of militants, including from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Syria, as well as the movement of means of committing terrorist acts, is being completed.

In September, Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged that a terrorist threat remains in the North Caucasus.

"Despite the obvious positive shifts, the situation in the North Caucasus is improving too slowly. The terrorist threat and security challenges have not been finally eliminated," the Russian president said at the time.

Unprecedented security measures will be introduced in Sochi during the Olympic Games: the city will actually be closed to everyone except local residents and guests of the Olympics.