Are there any hot spots in Russia today? This is a question that both experts and ordinary people clearly find it difficult to answer. Strictly speaking, if we mean by hot spot armed conflict that has arisen between countries or individual social groups within the country, then today there are no such points on the territory of Russia. However, many conflicts in which Russia's interests are affected exist in the world.
In some, Russia is directly involved (the conflict in Syria), in others – indirectly (south-eastern Ukraine). If you look at the situation from this angle, then there are hot spots to which the Russian Federation is related. No one will now argue that Afghanistan was once a hot spot in the USSR. Syria, Donbass, and the “smoldering” Caucasus are related to today’s Russia, whether we like it or not.
Ukraine
Of course, this does not change anything in our attitude towards you.
If a big disaster happens, we will again go to die for you in millions.
We're just really different.
And you, sister, are our eternal humility before God.
The wound is not healing.
Ivan Okhlobystin. “Thank you, Ukraine!”
After the coup of 21014, the return of Crimea by Russia, the most painful hot spot for a large part of Russians became Novorossiya: Lugansk and Donetsk people's republics. There is no need to talk about Russia’s geopolitical interests in relation to Ukraine: Russians and Ukrainians are essentially one people. It is difficult to find a resident of Russia who does not have relatives, friends or classmates living in Ukraine. The historical past, common culture, similarity of language and civilizational identity have been shaken in just two decades. The incessant propaganda and brainwashing of the fraternal people, the inculcation of hatred towards Russia, was quite obviously carried out by interested parties as preparation for striking Russia.
Western analysts and strategists, unable to understand the phenomenon of the Slavic spirit, its irrational ability to remain undefeated in any, even the most terrible war, decided to break the Slavs with the Slavs, pitting one against the other... A diabolical, sophisticated method that, unfortunately, brings its fruits. The result is tens of thousands of deaths, mostly among civilians, and a protracted, hopeless conflict. According to American experts, the carnage in Ukraine could last for many decades. According to Putin's official statement, there are no regular Russian troops in Ukraine. On the diplomatic front there are endless battles, and in the southeast there are real battles. People are dying. Is it a hot spot? It doesn't get any hotter.
In the light latest events It is becoming clear that Western analysts are not so wrong. Putin didn’t even want to go to the last meeting in the Normandy format. The situation in Donbass has remained unchanged for more than a year and a half, and Petro Poroshenko’s latest statements do not inspire any hope of progress political process. The situation on the front line has worsened in recent days; as a result of the terrorist attack, one of the most famous militia commanders, Arseny Pavlov, better known by his call sign Motorola, was killed. The meeting, which did take place, did not bring any serious results. The organizers were more interested in the situation in Syria, around the city of Aleppo.
Syria
You need to defeat the enemy before the battle.
From hand-to-hand combat instruction for Russian special forces.
If everything is more or less clear with Ukraine, then the participation of the Russian Aerospace Forces in Syria came as a complete surprise to the whole world. It's hard to forget the phrase Russian President at the UN General Assembly in 2015: “Do you even understand what you have done?” It's about about the consequences of intervention Western countries led by the United States in the affairs of Iraq and Libya. As a result of the support of the armed opposition in the Middle East, various terrorist organizations flourished, the most famous of which is considered “ Islamic State Iraq and the Levant" (ISIS), banned in Russia and many other countries.
Russia sees this as a threat to itself. The development of a model of intervention in the affairs of other countries will ultimately create the preconditions for applying this model to the affairs of the Russian Federation. In addition, the terrorist threat is not something ephemeral for Russia. We all remember the terrible days in Beslan, Budennovsk, Pervomaisk, we remember Nord-Ost and many other tragic events in our country. Therefore, the decision to provide the official authorities of the SAR with military assistance in the fight against ISIS can be considered a preventive measure to maintain security in the Russian Federation.
September 21 is the International Day of Peace and the day of general ceasefire and renunciation of violence. But today there are almost four dozen hot spots recorded in the world. Where and for what humanity is fighting today - in the material TUT.BY.
Gradation of conflicts:
Low intensity armed conflict- confrontation for religious, ethnic, political and other reasons. Characterized by low level attacks and victims - less than 50 per year.
Medium-intensity armed conflict- occasional terrorist attacks and military operations using weapons. It is characterized by an average level of victims - up to 500 per year.
High intensity armed conflict- constant hostilities using conventional weapons and weapons of mass destruction (with the exception of nuclear weapons); involving foreign countries and coalitions. Such conflicts are often accompanied by massive and numerous terrorist attacks. It is characterized by a high level of victims - from 500 per year or more.
Europe, Russia and Transcaucasia
Conflict in Donbass
Debaltsevo city, Donbass, Ukraine. February 20, 2015. Photo: ReutersStatus: regular clashes between separatists and the Ukrainian military, despite the ceasefire
Start: year 2014
Death toll: from April 2014 to August 2017 - more than 10 thousand people
The armed conflict in Donbass began in the spring of 2014. Pro-Russian activists, inspired by Russia's annexation of Crimea and dissatisfied with the new government in Kyiv, proclaimed the creation of the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics. After the new Ukrainian authorities attempted to suppress protests by force in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, a full-scale armed conflict began, which has been dragging on for three years.
The situation in Donbass is not off the world agenda, as Kyiv accuses Moscow of helping the self-proclaimed republics, including through direct military intervention. The West supports these accusations, Moscow consistently denies them.
The conflict moved from the active phase to the medium-intensity phase after the launch of "" and the beginning.
But in the east of Ukraine they are still shooting, people are dying on both sides.
Caucasus and Nagorno-Karabakh
There are two other pockets of instability in the region that are classified as armed conflicts.
The war in the early 1990s between Azerbaijan and Armenia led to the formation of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (). Large-scale military operations last time were recorded here, then about 200 people died on both sides. But local armed clashes in which Azerbaijanis and Armenians die.
Despite all the efforts of Russia, the situation in the Caucasus remains extremely difficult: counter-terrorism operations are constantly being carried out in Dagestan, Chechnya and Ingushetia, Russian special services report on the liquidation of gangs and terrorist cells, but the flow of reports does not decrease.
Middle East and North Africa
The entire region was shocked in 2011 by "". From then to the present, Syria, Libya, Yemen and Egypt have been hot spots in the region. In addition, the armed confrontation in Iraq and Turkey has been going on for many years.
War in Syria
Status: constant hostilities
Start: 2011
Death toll: from March 2011 to August 2017 - from 330,000 to
Panorama of eastern Mosul in Iraq, March 29, 2017. For this city more than a year The fighting continued. Photo: Reuters After the US invasion in 2003 and the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime, Iraq began a civil war and rebellion against the coalition government. And in 2014, part of the country was captured by Islamic State militants. Now a motley company is fighting the terrorists: the Iraqi army with the support of US troops, the Kurds, local Sunni tribes and Shiite militias. This summer, the largest city that was under the control of ISIS, there is currently a struggle for control of Anbar province.
Radical Islamist groups are fighting Baghdad not only on the battlefield - in Iraq constantly with numerous casualties.
Libya
Status: regular clashes between different factions
Start: 2011
Exacerbation: year 2014
Death toll: from February 2011 to August 2017 - t 15,000 to 30,000
The conflict in Libya also began with the Arab Spring. In 2011, protesters against the Gaddafi regime were supported by airstrikes by the United States and NATO. The revolution won, Muammar Gaddafi was killed by a crowd, but the conflict did not die down. In 2014, a new civil war broke out in Libya, and since then dual power has reigned in the country - in the east of the country, in the city of Tobruk, a parliament elected by the people sits, and in the west, in the capital of Tripoli, the Government of National Accord, formed with the support of the UN and Europe, is ruled by Faez. Sarraj. In addition, there is a third force - the Libyan national army, which is fighting the militants of the Islamic State and other radical groups. The situation is complicated by the civil strife of local tribes.
Yemen
Status: regular missile and air strikes, clashes between different factions
Start: year 2014
Death toll: from February 2011 to September 2017 - more than 10 thousand people
Yemen is another country whose conflict dates back to the Arab Spring in 2011. President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who ruled Yemen for 33 years, transferred his powers to the country's Vice President Abd Rabbo Mansour al-Hadi, who won early elections a year later. However, he failed to retain power in the country: in 2014, a civil war broke out between Shiite rebels (Houthis) and the Sunni government. Al-Hadi was supported by Saudi Arabia, which, together with other Sunni monarchies and with the consent of the United States, is helping with both ground operations and air strikes. Also joined the fight ex-president Saleh, who is supported by some Shiite rebels and Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.
Double in Ankara on October 10, 2015, at the site of the trade union meeting “Labor. World. Democracy". Its participants advocated for an end to hostilities between the Turkish authorities and the Kurds. According to official data, the number of victims was 97 people. Photo: Reuters The armed confrontation between the Turkish government and the fighters of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, who are fighting for the creation of Kurdish autonomy within Turkey, has continued from 1984 to the present. In the last two years, the conflict has escalated: Turkish authorities accused the Kurds of several crimes, after which they carried out purges.
The Knife Intifada and Lebanon
There are several other hot spots in the region that military experts classify as low-intensity “armed conflicts.”
First of all, this is the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the next escalation of which was called “”. Between 2015 and 2016, there were more than 250 attacks by Islamic radicals armed with bladed weapons against Israelis. As a result, 36 Israelis, 5 foreigners and 246 Palestinians were killed. Attacks with knives and screwdrivers have died down this year, but armed attacks continue: in July, three Arabs attacked an Israeli police officer on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
Another smoldering hot spot is Lebanon. The smoldering conflict in Lebanon is at a low level of intensity only due to the emphasized neutrality of the authorities regarding civil war in Syria and the related conflict in Lebanon between Sunnis and Shiites. Lebanese Shiites and the Hezbollah group support the pro-Assad coalition, Sunnis oppose it, and radical Islamist groups oppose the Lebanese authorities. Armed clashes and terrorist attacks occur from time to time: the largest of them Lately was a double terrorist attack in Beirut in 2015, which resulted in...
Asia and Pacific
Afghanistan
Status: permanent terrorist attacks and armed clashes
Beginning of the conflict: 1978
Escalation of the conflict: year 2001
Death toll: from 2001 to August 2017 - more than 150,000 people
Doctors at a hospital in Kabul examine a boy injured in a terrorist attack on September 15, 2017. On this day in Kabul, a booby-trapped tanker was blown up at a checkpoint leading to the diplomatic quarter. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, NATO and the United States military contingent entered Afghanistan. The Taliban regime was overthrown, but a military conflict began in the country: the Afghan government, with the support of NATO and US forces, is fighting the Taliban and Islamist groups associated with Al-Qaeda and IS.
Despite the fact that 13 thousand NATO and US troops still remain in Afghanistan and there are now discussions about whether to do so, terrorist activity in the country remains high: dozens of people die in the republic every month.
The smoldering Kashmir conflict and the internal problems of India and Pakistan
In 1947, two states were formed on the territory of former British India - India and Pakistan. The division took place along religious lines: provinces with a predominantly Muslim population went to Pakistan, and provinces with a Hindu majority to India. But not everywhere: despite the fact that the majority of the population of Kashmir were Muslims, this region was annexed to India.
Residents of Kashmir province stand on the rubble of three houses destroyed by an artillery strike by the Pakistani military. This strike was carried out in response to the shelling of Pakistani territories by Indian troops, who, in turn, responded to an attack by militants who, in their opinion, arrived from Pakistan. Photo: Reuters Since then Kashmir- a disputed territory between the two countries and the cause of three Indo-Pakistani wars and several smaller military conflicts. According to various sources, over the past 70 years it has claimed about 50 thousand lives. In April 2017, the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research published an annual report that identified the Kashmir conflict as one that could trigger a military conflict involving the use of nuclear weapons. Both India and Pakistan are members of the "club" nuclear powers"with an arsenal of several dozen nuclear warheads.
In addition to the general conflict, each country has several hot spots with to varying degrees intensity, and all of them are recognized by the international community as military conflicts.
There are three of them in Pakistan: separatist movements in the western province Balochistan, the fight against the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan group in an unrecognized state Waziristan and clashes between Pakistani security forces and various militant groups in the semi-autonomous region " Federally Administered Tribal Areas"(FATA). Radicals from these regions are attacking government buildings, employees law enforcement and carry out terrorist attacks.
There are four hotspots in India. In three Indian states - Assam, Nagaland and Manipur Due to religious and ethnic clashes, nationalist and separatist movements are strong and do not disdain terrorist attacks and hostage-taking.
And in 20 of the 28 Indian states there are Naxalites - Maoists battle groups, which demand the creation of free self-governing zones, where they (of course!) will build the most real and correct communism. Naxalites practice attacks on officials and government troops and carry out more than half of the terrorist attacks in India. The country's authorities have officially declared the Naxalites terrorists and call them the main internal threat to the country's security.
Myanmar
Recently, the media, which usually does not pay attention to third world countries, has focused attention.
In this country, in August, the religious-ethnic conflict between the residents of the Rakhine state - Arakanese Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims - escalated. Hundreds of separatists from the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ASRA) attacked 30 police strongholds, killing 15 police and military personnel. After this, the troops began an anti-terrorist operation: in just one week, the military killed 370 Rohingya separatists, and 17 local residents were also reported accidentally killed. How many people died in Myanmar in September is still unknown. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh, creating a humanitarian crisis.
Southern Thailand
A number of radical Islamic organizations advocate the independence of the southern provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat from Thailand and demand either the creation of an independent Islamic state or the inclusion of the provinces in Malaysia.
Thai soldiers inspect the site of an explosion near a hotel in the resort area of the southern province of Pattani. August 24, 2016. Photo: Reuters Bangkok is responding to the demands of the Islamists, supported by attacks and attacks, with counter-terrorism operations and suppression of local unrest. Over 13 years of escalating conflict, more than 6,000 people have died.
Uyghur conflict
Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR, abbreviated Chinese name Xinjiang) is located in northwest China. It occupies a sixth of the territory of all of China, and the majority of its inhabitants are Uyghurs - a Muslim people, whose representatives are not always enthusiastic about the national policies of the country's communist leadership. In Beijing, Xinjiang is perceived as a region of “three hostile forces” - terrorism, religious extremism and separatism.
The Chinese authorities have reason for this - the active terrorist group “East Turkestan Islamic Movement,” whose goal is to create an Islamic state in China, is responsible for unrest and terrorist attacks in Xinjiang: over the past 10 years, more than 1,000 people have died in the region.
A military patrol walks past a building that was damaged in an explosion in Urumqi, the largest city in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. On May 22, 2014, five suicide bombers carried out an attack that killed 31 people. Photo: Reuters Now the conflict is characterized as sluggish, but Beijing has already been threatened with an escalation of the situation after the Chinese authorities introduced a ban on wearing beards, hijabs, and performing marriage and mourning ceremonies according to religious customs instead of secular ones. In addition, Uyghurs were urged to sell alcohol and tobacco in stores and not to publicly celebrate religious holidays.
Armed conflict in the Philippines
For more than four decades in the Philippines, the conflict has continued between Manila and armed groups of Muslim separatists in the south of the country, which traditionally advocate the creation of an independent Islamic state. The situation worsened after the position of the Islamic State in the Middle East significantly weakened: many Islamists flocked to Southeast Asia. Two major factions, Abu Sayyaf and Maute, pledged allegiance to IS and captured the city of Marawi on the Philippine island of Mindanao in May. Government troops still cannot drive the militants out of the city. Also, radical Islamists stage armed attacks not only in the south, but also.
According to the latest data, from May to September this year in the Philippines, a total of 45 civilians and 136 soldiers and police were killed as a result of terrorist actions.
North and South America
Mexico
In 2016, Mexico had the second highest death toll on the list of states where armed conflict continues, behind only Syria. The nuance is that officially there is no war on Mexican territory, but for more than ten years there has been a battle between the country’s authorities and drug cartels. The latter are still fighting among themselves, and for good reason—income from drug sales in the United States alone amounts to up to $64 billion a year. And drug cartels receive about $30 billion a year from selling drugs to Europe.
A forensic expert examines the crime scene. The body of a woman was found under a bridge in the city of Ciudad Juarez, murdered with extreme cruelty. A note was found on the body: “This is what will happen to informers and those who steal from their own.” Photo: Reuters The international community calls this confrontation in Mexico an armed conflict with high degree intensity, and justifiably: even in the most “peaceful” year of 2014, more than 14 thousand people died, and in total, since 2006, more than 106,000 people have become victims of the “drug war”.
"Northern Triangle"
Drugs come into Mexico from South America. All transit routes pass through the three countries of the Northern Triangle in Central America: Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.
The Northern Triangle is one of the most violent regions in the world, where powerful transnational criminal organizations have flourished, many with ties to Mexican drug transit countries; local organized crime groups; gangs like the 18th Street Gang (M-18) and the Pandillas street gangs. All these groups and clans are constantly waging war among themselves for the redistribution of spheres of influence.
Members of MS-13 captured as a result of a special operation. Photo: Reuters The governments of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala have declared war on both organized and street crime. This decision was warmly supported in the United States, where in recent years, due to high level violence and corruption, 8.5% of the population of the Northern Triangle immigrated.
The countries of the Northern Triangle are also recognized as participants in armed conflict with a high degree of intensity.
Colombia
The confrontation between the Colombian authorities and the left-wing extremist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) lasted more than 50 years. Over these years, about 220 thousand people died, about 7 million lost their homes. In 2016, an agreement was signed between the Colombian authorities and the FARC. Rebels from the National Liberation Army of Colombia (ELN) refused to join the agreement, which, together with the problem of large-scale drug trafficking, leaves the military conflict in the country at “medium intensity” status.
Africa: Sub-Saharan
IN Somalia Lawlessness has reigned for more than 20 years: neither the government, nor UN peacekeepers, nor the military intervention of neighboring countries can stop the anarchy. The radical Islamist group Al-Shabaab is active in Somalia, and the coastal areas have begun to make money from piracy.
Injured children in a Mogadishu hospital as a result of a terrorist attack carried out by radical Islamists in the Somali capital on August 4, 2017. Photo: Reuters Radical Islamists terrorize and Nigeria. Boko Haram militants control approximately 20% of the territory in the north of the country. They are fought by the Nigerian army, which is assisted by military personnel from neighboring Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
Besides the jihadists, there is another conflict zone in the country in the Niger Delta. Nigerian government troops and mercenaries have been trying to establish control over oil-bearing areas for more than 20 years with varying degrees of success. oil companies on the one hand, and the Ogoni, Igbo and Ijaw ethnic groups on the other.
In another country, the youngest of the recognized states in the world - South Sudan, — the civil war began two years after gaining independence, in 2013, and despite the presence of a 12,000-strong UN peacekeeping force. Formally, it is between government troops and the rebels, but in essence it is between representatives of the dominant Dinka ethnic group (President Salva Kiir is one of them) and the Nuer tribe, from which Vice President Riek Machar comes.
Uneasy in Sudan. In the Darfur region in the west of the country, an interethnic conflict has been ongoing since 2003, resulting in an armed confrontation between the central government, the informal pro-government Arab Janjaweed armed groups and local rebel groups. According to various estimates, as a result of the Darfur conflict, from 200 to 400 thousand people died, 2.5 million people became refugees.
Armed conflict in Mali erupted between government forces, Tuaregs, various separatist groups and radical Islamists in early 2012. Starting point events was a military coup, as a result of which the then current head of state, Amadou Toure, was overthrown. To maintain order in the country, UN peacekeepers and a French contingent are present, but despite this, there are constant hostage-takings in Mali.
In the eastern provinces Democratic Republic of the Congo, despite all the efforts of the authorities and peacekeepers, the situation has remained tense for many years. Various Islamist and Christian groups, armed formations of local tribes and gangs from neighboring states operate in the country. All of them are attracted by colossal reserves of rich minerals: gold, diamonds, copper, tin, tantalum, tungsten, more than half of the world's proven reserves of uranium. According to the UN Panel of Experts on the DRC, illegal gold mining “clearly remains the main source of funding for armed groups.”
IN Central African Republic (CAR) Muslim rebels overthrew a Christian president in 2013, sparking sectarian strife in the country. Since 2014, there has been a UN peacekeeping mission in the country.
From the bloody civil war in Africa to the unrest in South-East Asia, there are currently 33 hotspots in the world where local populations suffer the most.
(Total 33 photos)
The situation in Eastern Congo has been quite unstable since the Hutu militia (Interahamwe) declared war on the country's ethnic minority, the Tutsi people. Since 1994, this has been . Since then, this region has become a haven for huge number rebels who forced more than a million Congolese to flee the country and killed several million. In 2003, the leader of the Tutsi rebellion, Laurent Nkunda, continued the battle with the Hutu (Interahamwe) and created the National Congress of People's Defense. In January 2009, Nkunda was captured by Rwandan troops. But even despite the loss of their leader, separate groups of Tutsi rebels are still causing unrest. The photo shows family members carrying the body of their relative for burial. Rebel camp in Goma, January 19, 2009.
Conflicts in Kashmir have been ongoing since 1947, when Britain renounced its rights to India. As a result of the collapse, two countries were formed: Pakistan and India. The conflict is related to the division of disputed territories, and clashes still occur quite often on the border of these states, as well as in Kashmir itself, which belongs to India. For example, the unrest that broke out after the death of two unarmed Muslim teenagers. The picture shows Kashmiri Muslims throwing tear gas cans, as well as stones and lighters, back at the police. tear gas used to disperse a crowd of protesters in Srinagar, February 5, 2010.
A Uighur woman peers through security barriers as Chinese soldiers watch in the city of Urumqi, Xinjiang province, July 9, 2009. The Northwest Autonomous Region is home to 13 ethnic groups - the largest of which, at 45% of the population, are Uighurs. Despite the fact that the region is considered autonomous, some Uyghur representatives have been demanding recognition of full independence since the mid-90s. China's attempts to unify with this area only cause inter-ethnic tensions, coupled with religious repression and economic inequality, all of which only worsen the situation. When another outbreak broke out, the authorities responded immediately. As a result, 150 people died.
Protesting the results in 2009, millions of Iranians took to the streets to support opposition candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi. In their opinion, it was he who should have won the elections, but the results were falsified. This uprising was given the name "Green Revolution" and is considered one of the most significant events in Iranian politics since 1979. “Color revolutions” also took place in other countries: Georgia, Ukraine and Serbia. The Iranian regime has never renounced the use of weapons to disperse protesters. In the photo, one of the rebels covers his face with his hand, wearing a symbolic green bandage, on December 27, 2009, after a clash with the Basij militia forces, reinforced by internal security fighters who joined them.
The civil war here has been going on for five years now, with anti-government uprisings supported by neighboring Sudan. Chad has become a good refuge not only for thousands of refugees from Darfur, but also for those. Who fled from neighboring republics Central Africa. Pictured are Chadian soldiers resting after the Battle of Am Dam clash, which lasted two days in May 2009. As a result, Chadian troops managed to prevent the capture of the capital N'Djamena and the overthrow of power.
Over the past 5 years, fighting in eastern Chad and neighboring Darfur has forced more than 400,000 people to flee into the Chadian desert and form refugee camps there. Rebels from the two countries take turns expressing dissatisfaction with each other. And caught in the crossfire are civilians, tired of senseless violence, scorched earth tactics and ethnic cleansing. Sudanese women carry branches for a fire at a refugee camp in Chad June 26, 2008.
More than half a century after the end Korean War, relations between and remain tense. So far, no peace agreement has been signed between the two countries, and the US is leaving 20,000 of its troops in the south of the country. When it will be signed and whether it will be signed at all, these questions and answers still remain open. North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, who succeeded his father Kim Il Sung in 1994, continues to develop nuclear program Pyongyang, despite the fact that the United States repeatedly tried to reduce it during negotiations. tried it for the first time nuclear device in 2006, the second attempt occurred in May 2009. In the photo, a North Korean army soldier stands opposite a South Korean army soldier on the border that divides the territory into two Koreas, February 19, 2009.
Pakistan North West Frontier Province and Tribal Areas federal administration– two of the most tense hot spots in the world. Located along the border with Afghanistan, these two regions have seen some of the heaviest fighting between Islamists and Pakistani forces since 2001. It is believed that this is where al-Qaeda leaders take refuge. American planes constantly patrol the skies over these territories in search of terrorists and Taliban leaders. The photo shows a Pakistani soldier in front of a burnt oil tanker that was burned by rebels on February 1, 2010.
While the situation in Iraq and Afghanistan worries the entire world community, Pakistan remains a key country in the American fight against terrorism. Under increased pressure from the US, Islamabad has more recently stepped up efforts to remove the Taliban from its borders. While Pakistani troops are enjoying some successes against the Taliban, some instability is emerging among the civilian population. Pictured June 21, 2009, Pakistani refugees at Shah Mansoor camp, Swabi, Pakistan.
This country, located in southeast Africa, has existed without a central government since the 1990s and has not lived peacefully for the same period. After the overthrow of the country's leader Mohamed Siad Barre in January 1992, the rebels split into several rival groups led by different dictators. The United States intervened in the conflict in 1992 with Operation Restore Hope, but in 1994 it withdrew its troops from the country several months after Black Hawk Down. The government of the Organization of Islamic Courts managed to somewhat stabilize the situation in 2006, but this rule did not last long. Fearing the spread of Islamism, the Transitional Federal Government was created in 2007. Most of the country is now under rebel control, while the Transitional Federal Government and President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, former leader Organizations of Islamic Courts control only certain territories. Hundreds of thousands have been killed since 1991 civilians, and more than 1.5 million became refugees. Pictured are Somali women preparing food in a refugee camp near Mogadishu, November 19, 2007.
Despite the fact that Mexico is now a developing country with a predominant middle class population, for a long time she fought drug smuggling and violence. The surge in drug-related deaths has many observers concerned about the future of this country. The number of people whose deaths have been linked to drugs since January 2007 has reached 10,000, more than American soldiers. Deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan. Despite efforts by Mexican President Felipe Calderon to crack down on drug traffickers, border cities like Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez, which serve as major drug routes, have become hotbeds of violence. The picture shows one of the drug distribution centers of Ciudad Juarez, where 18 people were killed and 5 were injured as a result of a clash between drug traffickers, August 2, 2009.
Indonesia's two easternmost provinces, Papua and West Papua, have been fighting an insurgency to secede since the early 1960s. With the support of the United States, an agreement was signed in 1961 that the Netherlands would cede provinces to Indonesia, but this happened without the consent of the provinces themselves. Today, a low-intensity conflict continues between rebels armed with bows and arrows and Indonesian troops. Papua Free Movement leader Kelly Kwalia was killed last year during a shootout with the Indonesian military. Pictured here are members of the Papua Free Movement speaking to the press on July 21, 2009, denying allegations that they were involved in the 2002 mine attacks.
On December 13, 2003, nine months into the American invasion of Iraq, soldiers captured ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein at a compound near Tikrit during Operation Red Dawn. This success was preceded by three years of civil war and chaos, during which American troops were brutally attacked by Iraqi insurgents. Although the US managed to turn the tide of the war in 2007, Iraq continued to suffer from violence and political instability. Pictured is one of the 50,000 American soldiers who remained in control of the situation in Iraq, October 25, 2009.
Since June 2004, the Yemeni government has been in conflict with the Shia resistance "Houthis", named after the deceased leader Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi. Some analysts consider the war to be a covert war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Saudi Arabia, the seat of Sunni power in the region, clashes with the Yemeni government and even carries out airstrikes and attacks in border areas, while Iran, the center of Shiite power, supports the rebels. Although the Yemeni government and Houthis signed a ceasefire agreement in February 2010, it is too early to say whether this agreement will be respected. Pictured is a group of Houthis rebels driving through the Malahidh region of Yemen, near the border with Saudi Arabia, February 17, 2010.
Uzbekistan was in a long conflict with Islamists who were trying to strengthen the Muslim population. In particular, the instability of the Uzbek authorities convinced the terrorists that they would be able to establish contact with the authorities. As recently as 2005, members of Uzbekistan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and security forces opened fire on a crowd of Muslim protesters in Andijan. The number of people killed ranged from 187 people (according to official figures) to 1,500 (this figure appears in the report of a former Uzbek intelligence officer). The photo shows the Uzbek embassy in London, May 17, 2005, painted with red inscriptions - the consequences of the massacre in Andijan.
Over the past 22 years, fanatical guerrilla Joseph Kony has led the Lord's Resistance Army through the north of the country into the Central African Republic. Democratic Republic Congo and Sudan. The movement initially sought to overthrow the Ugandan government and establish a Christian theocracy. Nowadays it has descended to robbery and looting. The rebels are known for turning children into slaves and warriors; The rebel army now numbers 3,000. Ceasefire between Uganda and the Lord's Resistance Army in 2006-2008. was discussed in Juba, Sudan, but all hopes of peaceful coexistence were dashed after Kony reneged on the agreement in April 2008. The photo shows a woman and her children in front of their destroyed hut in Uganda, September 24, 2007.
The Thai government has long had strained relations with the country's Muslim population, the majority of whom lived in the southern province of Pattani. Tensions peaked in 2004 when Islamists rebelled in Pattani, sparking a full-blown separatist uprising. Bangkok demanded that the situation in the troubled region be immediately stabilized. Meanwhile, the death toll continued to rise, with more than 3,000 civilians killed as of March 2008. Pictured here are Thai soldiers examining the body of a suspected insurgent who was killed in a firefight on February 15, 2010.
The Ogaden Liberation Front is a group of ethnic Somalis from Ethiopia that has been fighting for the independence of the Ogaden since 1984. This independence, in their opinion, should inevitably lead to unification with Somalia. Having failed to achieve this result, Ethiopia cracked down on the Ogaden. Some believe that the 2006 invasion of Somalia was a pre-emptive maneuver to dissuade the Somali Islamist government from going to war over Somalia even more stubbornly. The picture shows a boy tending cattle in a rural nomadic area, January 17, 2008.
Today it may seem that all terrible wars are a thing of the distant past. But this is not true at all. Despite the fact that, according to research, far fewer people die as a result of military action in the 21st century than in previous centuries, different regions Hot spots on our planet are flaring up. Armed conflicts, military crises - humanity will probably never lay down its arms.
The hot spots of the planet are like old wounds that still cannot heal. For some time, conflicts fade away, but then flare up again and again, bringing pain and suffering to humanity. The International Crisis Group has named hotspot regions on our planet that are threatening the world right now.
Iraq
The conflict occurred between the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) and government forces, as well as other religious and ethnic groups in the country. Thus, ISIS terrorists announced that they were going to create an Islamic state - a caliphate - in the territories of Syria and Iraq. Of course, the current government opposed it.
However, at the moment it is not possible to resist the militants. Military hotspots are flaring up across the country, and the ISIS caliphate is expanding its borders. Today it is a huge territory from the borders of Baghdad to the Syrian city of Aleppo. The troops of the current government were able to liberate only two large cities from terrorists - Uja and Tikrit.
Autonomy took advantage of the difficult situation in the country. During the offensive operations of ISIS, the Kurds seized power over several large oil production areas. And today they announced a referendum and secession from Iraq.
Gaza Strip
The Gaza Strip has been on the list of hot spots for a long time. Conflicts between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas have flared up again and again for decades. The main reason is the reluctance of the parties to listen to each other's arguments.
Thus, Israel launched a military operation in order to destroy the infrastructure of underground tunnels and warehouses with stocks of Palestinian weapons in order to deprive terrorists of the opportunity to attack Israeli territory. Hamas demands the removal of the economic blockade of the Gaza Strip and the release of prisoners.
The immediate cause of the fighting that has now unfolded in the Gaza Strip was the death of three Israeli teenagers, and in response to this, the murder of a Palestinian. And on July 17, 2014, the next military action began: tanks drove in, missiles flew.
Several times during this time the parties were planning to conclude a truce, but all attempts to reach an agreement led nowhere. Shells are still exploding, people are dying, and journalists in hot spots are taking such pictures that it’s scary to watch...
Syria
The military conflict in Syria flared up after the authorities brutally suppressed opposition demonstrations that broke out under the auspices of the Arab Spring. Clashes between the government army under the command of Bashar al-Assad and the Syrian coalition led to a real war. It affected almost the entire country: about 1,500 groups (al-Nusra Front, ISIS and others) joined the military action, more than 100 thousand citizens took up arms. Radical Islamists have become the most powerful and dangerous.
Hot spots are scattered throughout the country today. After all, Syria is under the control of a variety of terrorist gangs. Most of the country is currently controlled by government forces. The north of the state is completely captured by ISIS fighters. Although in some places the Kurds are still trying to win back territory. Not far from the capital, militants from an organized group called the Islamic Front have become more active. And in the city of Aleppo, there are skirmishes between Assad’s military forces and the moderate opposition.
South Sudan
The country is divided into two opposing tribal unions - the Nuer and the Dinka. The Nuer are the predominant population of the state, including the current president. The Dinka are the second largest people in South Sudan.
The conflict erupted after the President of Sudan announced to the public that his assistant, the Vice President, was trying to provoke a coup in the country. Immediately after his speech, mass unrest began in the country. protests and numerous arrests. Complete devastation and disorganization resulted in a real military conflict.
Today, the oil-producing areas of the country are hot spots. They are under the rule of rebels led by a disgraced vice president. This had a negative impact on the economic component of Sudan. The civilian population of the country also suffered greatly: more than ten thousand victims, about seven hundred thousand were forced to become refugees. In order to somehow resolve this conflict, the UN sent its peacekeeping contingent to South Sudan, which was supposed to serve as protection for the civilian population.
In the spring of 2014, militant alliances tried to come to some kind of compromise. However, the rebel leader openly admitted that he had long ago lost power over the rebels. In addition, peace negotiations were prevented by Ugandan troops acting on the side of the Sudanese president.
Nigeria
A terrorist Islamic organization called Boko Haram has been operating in the country since 2002. the main objective, which they are pursuing is the establishment throughout Nigeria. However, both the authorities and the majority of citizens are against this “proposal”, since Muslims do not constitute the majority in the country.
Since its founding, the group has significantly expanded its influence, armed itself well and began to openly kill Christians, as well as those Muslims who are loyal to them. Terrorists carry out terrorist attacks and publicly execute people every day. In addition, they periodically take hostages. Thus, in April 2014, more than two hundred schoolgirls were captured by Islamists. They hold them for ransom, as well as prostitution and sale into slavery.
The government of the country has repeatedly tried to come to an agreement with the terrorists, but no negotiations have worked out. Today, entire regions of the country are under the control of the group. And the authorities are unable to cope with the current situation. The President of Nigeria requested financial assistance from the world community in order to increase the combat effectiveness of the country’s army, which is currently losing to extremists.
Sahel region
The crisis began back in 2012, when, due to the hostilities taking place in Libya, Tuaregs poured into Mali en masse. In the northern part of the country they formed a state called Azawad. However, less than a year later, a military coup broke out in the self-proclaimed power. Taking advantage of the situation, France sent its troops into Mali to help fight the Tuaregs and radical Islamists who control the area. In general, today the Sahel has become a stronghold of the slave trade, drug trafficking, arms sales and prostitution.
Military strife eventually led to widespread famine. According to the UN, more than eleven million people in the region are without food, and if the situation is not resolved, then by the end of 2014 this figure will increase by another seven million. However, no changes in better side not yet expected: throughout Mali, hostilities are in full swing between the government, the French, the Tuaregs and terrorists. And this despite the fact that the state of Azawad no longer exists.
Mexico
In Mexico, there has been a constant confrontation between local drug cartels for decades. The authorities never touched them, as they were completely corrupt. And this was no secret to anyone. However, when Felipe Calderon was elected president of the country in 2006, everything changed. New chapter The country decided to change the existing situation once and for all and sent the army to one of the states to deal with crime and restore law and order. This didn't lead to anything good. The confrontation between government soldiers and bandits ended in a war in which the entire country eventually found itself.
In the eight years since the conflict began, drug cartels have gained power, authority and significantly expanded their borders. If previously they fought among themselves over the quantity and quality of drug products, today they argue over highways, ports and coastal cities. The markets for weapons, prostitution, and counterfeit products were under the control of the mafia. Government troops are clearly losing in this fight. And the reason for this is corruption. It gets to the point that many military personnel simply go over to the side of the drug cartels. In some regions of the country, local residents also spoke out against the mafia: they organized. By this, people want to show that they absolutely do not trust either the authorities or the local police.
Hot spots of Central Asia
Tension in the region is created by Afghanistan, where wars have not subsided for many decades, as well as Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, which have become involved in territorial disputes with each other. Another reason for constant conflicts in the region is the main drug trafficking in the Eastern Hemisphere. Because of him, local criminal gangs constantly clash.
It seemed that after the Americans removed their military from Afghanistan, calm had finally come to the country. However, it did not last long. After the presidential election, there were a lot of people who refused to recognize the vote as legitimate. Taking advantage of the situation in the country, the terrorist organization Taliban began to capture the capital of Afghanistan.
In the winter of 2014, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan became involved in territorial disputes, which was accompanied by military operations in the border areas. Tajikistan stated that Kyrgyzstan violated existing borders. In turn, the Kyrgyz government accused them of the same thing. Since the collapse of the USSR, conflicts have periodically arisen between these countries over the existing designation of borders, but there is still no clear division. Uzbekistan also intervened in the dispute, presenting its own claims. The question is still the same: the country’s authorities do not agree with the borders that were formed after the collapse of the USSR. The states have already tried more than once to somehow resolve the situation, but they have not come to an agreement or a concrete solution to the issue. At the moment, the atmosphere in the region is extremely tense and could result in military action at any moment.
China and countries of the region
Today the Paracel Islands are the hot spots of the planet. The conflict began with the fact that the Chinese suspended development oil wells near the archipelago. This did not please Vietnam and the Philippines, which sent their troops to Hanoi. To show the Chinese their attitude to the current situation, the military of both countries played an exhibition football match on the territory of the Spratly archipelago. This angered Beijing: Chinese warships appeared near the disputed islands. There were no military actions on the part of Beijing. However, Vietnam claims that warships have already sunk more than one fishing boat. Mutual reproaches and accusations can at any moment lead to missiles flying.
Hot spots of Ukraine
The crisis in Ukraine began in November 2013. After the Crimean peninsula became part of the Russian Federation in March, it intensified. Pro-Russian activists, dissatisfied with the situation in the state, formed the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics in the East of Ukraine. The government, led by new President Poroshenko, sent the army against the separatists. Fighting unfolded on the territory of Donbass (map of hot spots below).
In the summer of 2014, an airliner from Malaysia crashed over the territory of Donbass, controlled by the separatists. 298 people died. The Ukrainian government declared DPR and LPR militants guilty of this tragedy, as well as the Russian side, which allegedly supplied the rebels with weapons and air defense systems with which the airliner was shot down. However, the DPR and LPR denied involvement in the disaster. Russia also stated that it has nothing to do with the conflict within Ukraine and the death of the airliner.
On September 5, the Minsk Armistice Agreement was signed, as a result of which active hostilities in the country ceased. However, in some areas (for example, Donetsk airport), shelling and explosions continue to this day.
Hot spots in Russia
Today, there are no military operations taking place on the territory of the Russian Federation, and there are no hot spots. However, since the breakup Soviet Union Conflicts have broken out more than once on the territory of our country. So, the hottest spots in Russia this decade are, undoubtedly, Chechnya, North Caucasus and South Ossetia.
Until 2009, Chechnya was a constant site of hostilities: first (from 1994 to 1996), then second Chechen War(from 1999 to 2009). In August 2008, the Georgian-Ossetian conflict occurred, in which Russian troops also took part. The fighting began on August 8, and five days later ended with the signing of a peace treaty.
Today at Russian soldier There are two ways to get to hot spots: the army and contract service. According to the changes made to the Regulations governing the procedure for passing military service, conscripts can be sent to hot spots after four months of preparation (previously this period was six months).
Under a contract, you can get to a hot spot by concluding an appropriate agreement with the country. This agreement is drawn up only on a voluntary basis and for a specific period that the citizen is obliged to serve. Contract service attracts many people because it can make a lot of money. Amounts vary depending on regions. For example, in Kosovo they pay from 36 thousand per month, and in Tajikistan - much less. Big money could be earned for taking risks in Chechnya.
Before signing a contract, volunteers must undergo a rigorous selection process: starting with computer testing on the Ministry of Defense website and ending with a full examination of their health, psyche, personal data check, law-abidingness and loyalty.
(VOVworld) - Iraq has become a new hot spot in the Middle East. In just a few days, one third of the country's territory was captured by militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. This poses a great threat not only to the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki but also neighboring countries and security in the region as a whole.
| Shiites in Iraq. Photo: Reuters |
It should be noted that a huge territory in western Iraq was taken under control by Sunni formations, which mainly include militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group. In this area there are big cities Iraq, including Mosul, the second largest city, and Tikrit, where former President Saddam Hussein was born and raised. Noteworthy is the fact that these cities are located close to Baghdad, just a few hours away by car. The capture of a number of large cities is a source of powerful inspiration for militants seeking to create the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, which includes territories not only in Iraq but also in Syria.
The country is on the brink of civil war, which poses a major threat to security in the region
The world community is deeply concerned by the fact that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group includes formations that maintain close ties with the international terrorist organization Al-Qaeda, as well as Sunni formations that in the past were opponents of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group.
Moreover, not only Sunnis but also Kurds, who recently took control of the city of Kirkuk, which has great oil potential, are opposed to the government.
In such a situation, about a million Iraqis left their homeland. The USA, Australia and some other countries are calling on their citizens to leave Iraq immediately.
According to observers, main reason destabilizing the situation in Iraq is the lack of ability of Iraqi government troops to stop the advance of militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group, although government troops were armed with American modern weapons. The United States believes that if the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group takes control of other cities and provinces of Iraq, this will be fraught with dangerous consequences. The creation of a Sunni state covering both Iraqi and Syrian territory will undoubtedly have a great impact negative impact on the Kurdish community in Turkey, Syria and Iran, seeking to create their own independent state.
Make a military intervention or resolve the conflict peacefully
It should also be noted that the changes taking place in Iraq are the focus of attention, first of all, by the American administration. Following President Barack Obama's statement, US Secretary of State John Kerry said on June 16 that Washington was considering the possibility of assisting the Iraqi government in curbing militant activities. In a letter to US congressmen on June 16, President Barack Obama said he would send 275 US troops to Baghdad to provide security for US embassy staff in Iraq. Along with this, the American warship Mesa Verd entered the Persian Gulf with 550 Marines on board. Previously, the world's largest American aircraft carrier named after George Bush. However, as international observers note, military intervention in Iraq is not a realistic option for the United States. Sunnis in Iraq will believe that Washington is taking a biased position in resolving the sectarian conflict in Iraq.
Meanwhile, Great Britain stated that it only advocates providing humanitarian assistance to Iraq. And if necessary, it will send counter-terrorism specialists to Baghdad. And Saudi Arabia opposes outside interference in the internal affairs of Iraq. On June 15, participants in an emergency meeting of the League of Arab States unanimously noted the importance of achieving national reconciliation between political factions in Iraq.
Cause of destabilization in Iraq predicted
Previously former prime minister In Britain, Tony Blair warned that the conflict in Iraq was inextricably linked to differences between political parties as part of the current provisional government of this country. US Secretary of State John Kerry also admitted that Washington's military intervention in Iraq will produce results only if the contradictions between Iraqi leaders are resolved. The American newspaper "Nation Interest" in one of latest numbers does not hide the fact that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki did not make efforts that meet the interests of the Sunnis. Shiites occupy a majority in the country's army.
The war in Iraq is sectarian in nature. The cessation of hostilities and violence is challenging task facing the conflicting parties in this country.
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