Armed Conflicts in the World Since the End of the Cold War (1989 - Present)

Armed Conflicts in the World Since the End of the Cold War (1989 - Present)

Order Code RL30625
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
Armed Conflicts in the World Since the End of
the Cold War (1989 - Present)
August 2, 2000
(name redacted) and (name redacted)
Research Associates
Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

Armed Conflicts in the World Since the End of the Cold War
(1989 - Present)
Summary
This report contains a compiled list of wars and armed conflicts in the world –
both civil and inter-state – that began after 1989 or were in progress at that date.
Because of definitional problems related to classifying wars, this information should
be used with some caution. This report includes lists arranged both chronologically
and alphabetically.

Contents
Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Wars (Chronological) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Wars (Alphabetical) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
List of Tables
Table 1. Civil Wars (1989 to Present) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Table 2. Inter-State Wars (1989 to Present) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Table 3. Civil Wars (1989 to Present) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Table 4. Inter-State Wars (1989 to Present) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
This report has been prepared in consultation with (name redacted),
Specialist in
National Defense, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division.

Armed Conflicts in the World Since the End of
the Cold War (1989 - Present)
Background
The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 was the most dramatic signal that the Cold
War between the world’s two superpowers was coming to an end. During the Cold
War, most wars were considered an extension of the conflict between the United
States and the Soviet Union. However, the end of the Cold War did not bring the end
of armed conflict. Despite the termination of the Cold War, nations continue to fight
wars, both internally and with their neighbors. The following tables are a listing,
compiled from several sources (see attached source list), of post-1989 civil and inter-
state wars, including those conflicts that began prior to that date.
Sources differ as to what constitutes a war. For the purposes of this compilation,
a civil war is a conflict contained within the borders of one country where national
government military forces were actively involved in fighting, the opposing side
offered effective resistance, and there were at least 1,000 combatant casualties. An
inter-state war is a military conflict between two entities that are commonly
recognized as sovereign states where at least 1,000 battle deaths occurred.
Various discrepancies exist among the sources used in this compilation regarding
data on casualties, onset and termination dates, and the nature of some conflicts:
! A common definition of war includes conflicts with at least 1,000
casualties. However, reliable casualty figures – especially for smaller
conflicts – often do not exist. It is not unusual for different sources
to report conflicting casualty figures.
! Fixing dates as to when a war began or ended is also problematic.
! Flare-ups or resumptions of fighting pose one problem. For
example, a renewal of fighting after a break in hostilities is
sometimes classified as a continuation of a previous war and at
other times as a new war.
! In some conflicts, the participants disagree about when the conflict
is resolved. One may claim victory while the other vows to carry on
the struggle.
! In some cases, delineating between wars where one party is fighting
several others is a point of disagreement among sources. Some

CRS-2
sources consider such a case to be multiple wars, but other sources
consider it to be one extended war.
! Since most wars include aspects of both civil and interstate conflict,
definitional problems also extend to classifying wars as either civil or
inter-state. Because of these difficulties, credible sources often differ
in what they include in their listings of current wars.
In compiling this list, the authors loosely followed the definition of civil and inter-state
wars offered by the University of Michigan’s Correlates of War Project. However,
when questions arose about a conflict’s exact identifying characteristics, the most
expansive estimates were used.

CRS-3
Wars (Chronological)
Table 1. Civil Wars (1989 to Present)
Name
Begin
End
Notes
Burma
1950
Ongoing
Burmese (Myanmar) gov. vs. ethnic
guerrilla armies, political opposition groups
and narcotics dealers.
Basque Separatist
1958
Ongoing
Basque Fatherland and Liberty Group vs.
Movement
both Spain and France.
India
1967
Ongoing
Various ethnic and separatist conflicts.
Guatemala
1969
1996
Gov. of Guatemala vs. UNRG (coalition of
anti-government forces).
Northern Ireland
1969
1999
Political conflict with religious overtones.
Philippines (Moro
1969
Ongoing
Internal ethnic and religious conflict.
Rebellion)
Philippines (New
1972
1995
Philippines gov. vs. NPA (includes
People’s Army)
communist, Muslims, and other rebels).
Indonesia
1974
1999
Indonesian gov. vs. East Timor. Ended by
international intervention.
Angola
1975
Ongoing
Angola gov. and Namibia (since 1989) vs.
UNITA.
Lebanon
1975
1990
Conflict between Muslim and Christian
forces.
Afghanistan
1978
Ongoing
Power struggle between religious and
secular forces.
Ethiopia - Tigrean War
1978
1991
Ethnic conflict in Ethiopia.
Cambodia (Kampuchea)
1979
1991
Cambodian gov. vs. PDK (Khmer Rouge).
El Salvador
1979
1985
Gov. vs. National Liberation Front.
Mozambique (RENAMO
1979
1992
Mozambique gov. vs. opposition party
War)
RENAMO.
Senegal (Casamance)
1980s
Ongoing
Civil war vs. southern rebels.
Israel (Lebanon conflict)
1982
2000
Israel and South Lebanese Army vs.
Lebanese gov., various Islamic militias and
Palestinian guerrillas.
Nicaragua
1982
1998
Sandinistas vs. Contras.
Peru
1982
Ongoing
Peruvian gov. vs. Shining Path guerillas.
Somalia
1982
Ongoing
Fighting among rival faction leaders for
control of the state government.
Sri Lanka (Tamils)
1983
Ongoing
Sri Lanka gov. vs. Tamil Tigers.
Sudan
1983
Ongoing
Sudan gov. vs. National Democratic
Alliance.
Colombia
1984
Ongoing
Colombia gov. vs. FARC and ELN.
Turkey (Kurds)
1984
Ongoing
Internal ethnic conflict.
Iraq (Kurds/Shiites)
1985
Ongoing
Internal ethnic conflict.
Indonesia (Aceh)
1986
Ongoing
Internal ethnic conflict.
Azerbaijan
1988
1994
Fighting over disputed territory (Armenian)
(Nagorno-Kharabak)
with Russian involvement. Has inter-state
elements.
Liberia
1989
1997
Rebels vs. rebels vs. Liberian gov.

CRS-4
Name
Begin
End
Notes
Mali
1989
1994
Internal conflict.
Romania
1989
1989
Violent overthrow of the Communist
regime.
Bougainville
1990
1998
Residents of Bougainville vs. Gov. of Papua
New Guinea for independence.
Chad
1990
Ongoing
Gov. vs. various rebel groups.
Rwanda
1990
Ongoing
Ethnic conflict between Tutsis and Hutus.
Sierra Leone
1990
Ongoing
Sierra Leone gov. and ECOMOG vs. AFRC
and RUF.
Georgia
1991
1991
Struggle for power following collapse of
Communist government.
Haiti
1991
1995
Military vs. democratically elected
government.
Yugoslavia - Croatia
1991
1995
War securing independence for Croatia from
Independence
Yugoslavia following Communist collapse.
Algeria
1992
Ongoing
Algerian gov. vs. Islamic rebels.
Egypt
1992
Ongoing
Egyptian gov. vs. Muslim rebels.
Georgia (Abkhazia)
1992
1995
Georgian gov. vs. Abkhazian separatist.
Georgia (Ossetia)
1992
1995
Georgian gov. vs. Ossetian separatists.
Moldova
1992
1992
Ethnic conflict following Communist
collapse.
Russia
1992
Ongoing
Russian gov. vs. Chechen rebel separatists.
Tajikistan
1992
1997
Tajikistan gov. vs. Muslim rebels.
Yugoslavia - Bosnia
1992
1995
Fighting for Bosnian independence with
(Serb rebellion)
international intervention.
Burundi
1993
Ongoing
Burundi gov. vs. CNDD and Palipehutu.
Mexico
1994
Ongoing
Mexico gov. vs. Zapatista rebels.
Uganda
1994
1999
Ugandan gov. vs. LRA and ADF.
Yemen
1994
1994
Gov. vs. secessionists.
Central African Republic
1996
1997
Military coup and civil war.
Cambodia
1997
1998
Internal armed conflict.
Congo (Brazzaville)
1997
Ongoing
Congolese gov. vs. local ethnic militias.
Dem. Rep. of Congo
1998
Ongoing
Formerly Zaire. Gov. of Dem. Rep. of
Congo with support from Angola,
Namimbia, Zimbabwe and Chad vs. RCD
and MLC, supported by Rwanda, and
Uganda. Also has elements of an inter-state
war.
Guinea-Bissau
1998
Ongoing
Gov. of Guinea-Bissau with Senegal and
Guinea vs. military faction.
Yugoslavia - Kosovo
1998
1999
Serb-led gov. vs ethnic Albanians with
inter-state intervention.
Indonesia (Moluccas/
1999
Ongoing
Gov. of Indonesia vs. separatist forces.
Irian Jaya)

CRS-5
Table 2. Inter-State Wars (1989 to Present)
Name
Begin
End
Notes
Eritrea
1958
1992
For independence from Ethiopia.
Afghanistan
1979
1989
Soviet invasion.
Israel
1982
2000
Israeli invasion of Lebanon.
Iran-Iraq War
1980
1989
Iraqi invasion of Iran led to protracted conflict.
Gulf War
1990
1991
U.S.-led coalition countering Iraqi invasion of
Kuwait.
Kashmir
1991
Ongoing Indian and Pakistani border dispute.
Azeri-Armenian
1992
1994
An extension of the Nagorno-Kharabakh
dispute.
Nigeria
1994
1995
vs. Cameroon; border conflict.
Ethiopia
1995
Ongoing vs. Sudan; border conflict.
Sudan
1995
Ongoing vs. Uganda; border conflict.
Ethiopia
1997
Ongoing vs. Somalia; border conflict.
Dem. Rep. of Congo
1998
Ongoing Govt. of Dem. Rep. of Congo, Angola,
(Zaire)
Namibia, Zimbabwe, Chad vs. Congolese
Democratic Rally, Congolese Liberation
Movement, Rwanda, Uganda. Also has
elements of a civil war.
Eritrea
1998
Ongoing vs. Ethiopia; border conflict.
Kosovo
1998
1999
With NATO intervention vs. Serbia.

CRS-6
Wars (Alphabetical)
Table 3. Civil Wars (1989 to Present)
Name
Begin
End
Notes
Afghanistan
1978
Ongoing
Power struggle between religious and
secular forces.
Algeria
1992
Ongoing
Algerian gov. vs. Islamic rebels.
Angola
1975
Ongoing
Angola gov. and Namibia (since 1989) vs.
UNITA.
Azerbaijan
1988
1994
Fighting over disputed territory
(Nagorno-Kharabak)
(Armenian) with Russian involvement.
Has inter-state elements.
Basque Separatist Movement
1958
Ongoing
Basque Fatherland and Liberty Group vs.
both Spain and France.
Bougainville
1990
1998
Residents of Bougainville vs. Gov. of
Papua New Guinea for independence.
Burma
1950
Ongoing
Burmese (Myanmar) gov. vs. ethnic
guerrilla armies, political opposition
groups and narcotics dealers.
Burundi
1993
Ongoing
Burundi gov. vs. CNDD and Palipehutu.
Cambodia (Kampuchea)
1979
1991
Cambodian gov. vs. PDK (Khmer Rouge).
Cambodia
1997
1998
Internal armed conflict.
Central African Republic
1996
1997
Military coup and civil war.
Chad
1990
Ongoing
Gov. vs. various rebel groups.
Colombia
1984
Ongoing
Colombia gov. vs. FARC and ELN.
Congo (Brazzaville)
1997
Ongoing
Congolese gov. vs. local ethnic militias.
Dem. Rep. of Congo
1998
Ongoing
Formerly Zaire. Gov. of Dem. Rep. of
Congo with support from Angola,
Namimbia, Zimbabwe and Chad vs. RCD
and MLC, supported by Rwanda, and
Uganda. Also has elements of an inter-
state war.
Egypt
1992
Ongoing
Egyptian gov. vs. Muslim rebels.
El Salvador
1979
1985
Gov. vs. National Liberation Front.
Ethiopia - Tigrean War
1978
1991
Ethnic Conflict in Ethiopia.
Georgia
1991
1991
Struggle for power following collapse of
Communist government.
Georgia (Ossetia)
1992
1995
Georgian gov. vs. Ossetian separatists.
Georgia (Abkhazia)
1992
1995
Georgian gov. vs. Abkhazian separatist.
Guatemala
1969
1996
Gov. of Guatemala vs. UNRG (coalition
of anti-government forces).
Guinea-Bissau
1998
Ongoing
Gov. of Guinea-Bissau with Senegal and
Guinea vs. military faction.
Haiti
1991
1995
Military vs. democratically elected
government.
India
1967
Ongoing
Various ethnic and separatist conflicts.
Indonesia (Moluccas/ Irian
1999
Ongoing
Gov. of Indonesia vs. separatist forces.
Jaya)
Indonesia (Aceh)
1986
Ongoing
Internal ethnic conflict.

CRS-7
Name
Begin
End
Notes
Indonesia
1974
1999
Indonesian gov. vs. East Timor. Ended by
international intervention.
Iraq (Kurds/Shiites)
1985
Ongoing
Internal ethnic conflict.
Israel (Lebanon conflict)
1982
2000
Israel and South Lebanese Army vs.
Lebanese gov., various Islamic militias
and Palestinian guerrillas.
Lebanon
1975
1990
Conflict between Muslim and Christian
forces.
Liberia
1989
1997
Rebels vs. rebels vs. Liberian gov.
Mali
1989
1994
Internal conflict.
Mexico
1994
Ongoing
Mexico gov. vs. Zapatista rebels.
Moldova
1992
1992
Ethnic conflict following Communist
collapse.
Mozambique (RENAMO War) 1979
1992
Mozambique gov. vs. opposition party
RENAMO.
Nicaragua
1982
1998
Sandinistas vs. Contras.
Northern Ireland
1969
1999
Political conflict with religious overtones.
Peru
1982
Ongoing
Peruvian gov. vs. Shining Path guerillas.
Philippines (New People’s
1972
1995
Philippines gov. vs. NPA (includes
Army)
communist, Muslims, and other rebels).
Philippines (Moro Rebellion)
1969
Ongoing
Internal ethnic and religious conflict.
Romania
1989
1989
Violent overthrow of the Communist
regime.
Russia
1992
Ongoing
Russian vs. Chechen rebel separatists.
Rwanda
1990
Ongoing
Ethnic conflict between Tutsis and Hutus.
Senegal (Casamance)
1980s Ongoing
Civil war vs. southern rebels.
Sierra Leone
1990
Ongoing
Sierra Leone gov. and ECOMOG vs.
AFRC and RUF.
Somalia
1982
Ongoing
Fighting among rival faction leaders for
control of the state government.
Sri Lanka (Tamils)
1983
Ongoing
Sri Lanka gov. vs. Tamil Tigers.
Sudan
1983
Ongoing
Sudan gov. vs. National Democratic
Alliance.
Tajikistan
1992
1997
Tajikistan gov. vs. Muslim rebels.
Turkey (Kurds)
1984
Ongoing
Internal ethnic conflict.
Uganda
1994
1999
Ugandan gov. vs. LRA and ADF.
Yemen
1994
1994
Gov. vs. secessionists.
Yugoslavia - Kosovo
1998
1999
Serb-led gov. vs ethnic Albanians with
inter-state intervention.
Yugoslavia - Bosnia (Serb
1992
1995
Fighting for Bosnian independence with
rebellion)
international intervention.
Yugoslavia - Croatia
1991
1995
War securing independence for Croatia
Independence
from Yugoslavia following Communist
collapse.

CRS-8
Table 4. Inter-State Wars (1989 to Present)
Name
Begin
End
Notes
Afghanistan
1979
1989
Soviet invasion.
Azeri-Armenian
1992
1994
An extension of the Nagorno-Kharabakh
dispute.
Dem. Rep. of Congo
1998
Ongoing
Govt. of Dem. Rep. of Congo, Angola,
(Zaire)
Namibia, Zimbabwe, Chad vs. Congolese
Democratic Rally, Congolese Liberation
Movement, Rwanda, Uganda. Also has
elements of a civil war.
Eritrea
1998
Ongoing
vs. Ethiopia; border conflict.
Eritrea
1958
1992
For independence from Ethiopia.
Ethiopia
1997
Ongoing
vs. Somalia; border conflict.
Ethiopia
1995
Ongoing
vs. Sudan; border conflict.
Gulf War
1990
1991
U.S.-led coalition countering Iraqi invasion
of Kuwait.
Iran-Iraq War
1980
1989
Iraqi invasion of Iran led to protracted
conflict.
Israel
1982
2000
Israeli invasion of Lebanon.
Kashmir
1991
Ongoing
Indian and Pakistani border dispute.
Kosovo
1998
1999
with NATO intervention vs. Serbia.
Nigeria
1994
1995
vs. Cameroon; border conflict.
Sudan
1995
Ongoing
vs. Uganda; border conflict.

CRS-9
Sources
The tables in this report were compiled from the following sources:
Correlates of War Project. 2000. Available at [http://www.umich.edu/~cowproj/].
Federation of American Scientists. 2000. The World at War. Available at
[http://fas.org/man/dod-101/ops/war/index.html].
The History Guy. 2000. New and Recent Conflicts of the World. Available at
[http://www.historyguy.com/new_and_recent_conflicts.html].
International Institute for Strategic Studies. 2000. The Military Balance, (The 1999
Chart of Armed Conflict). London: Oxford University Press.
Peace and Conflict Studies. 2000. Current Armed Conflicts. Available at
[http://www.uni-muenster.de/PeaCon/linkall/conflict.html].
Peace Pledge Union. 1999. Wars 1900-1995. Available at
[http://www.ppu.org.uk/wars/facts/www00-95a.html].
Peace Pledge Union. 2000. Wars and Armed Conflicts 2000. Available at
[http://www.ppu.org.uk/wars/n-text/n-index.html].
Policy.com. 2000. Global Hotspots. Available at [http://www.policy.com/hotspots/].
Project Ploughshares. 2000. Armed Conflicts Report 1999. Available at
[http://www.ploughshares.ca/content/ACR/ACR99.html].
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. (various years). SIPRI Yearbook:
Armaments, Disarmament, and International Security. Oxford University Press.

EveryCRSReport.com
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a federal legislative branch agency, housed inside the
Library of Congress, charged with providing the United States Congress non-partisan advice on
issues that may come before Congress.
EveryCRSReport.com republishes CRS reports that are available to al Congressional staff. The
reports are not classified, and Members of Congress routinely make individual reports available to
the public.
Prior to our republication, we redacted names, phone numbers and email addresses of analysts
who produced the reports. We also added this page to the report. We have not intentional y made
any other changes to any report published on EveryCRSReport.com.
CRS reports, as a work of the United States government, are not subject to copyright protection in
the United States. Any CRS report may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without
permission from CRS. However, as a CRS report may include copyrighted images or material from a
third party, you may need to obtain permission of the copyright holder if you wish to copy or
otherwise use copyrighted material.
Information in a CRS report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public
understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to members of Congress in
connection with CRS' institutional role.
EveryCRSReport.com is not a government website and is not affiliated with CRS. We do not claim
copyright on any CRS report we have republished.