Conflict Weekly

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Conflict Weekly
Special Edition: Conflicts in 2023

  IPRI Team

Conflict Weekly #208, 28 December 2023, Vol.4, No.52
An initiative by NIAS-IPRI and the India Office of the KAS

Special Edition: Conflicts in 2023

Greetings to you from the NIAS International Peace Research Initiative (IPRI)!

This year, across the regions, we witnessed more conflicts. While the War in Ukraine throughout the year and the War in Gaza now have attracted global attention, from East Asia to Latin America, 2023 saw more conflicts than peace processes. Second, the conflicts during 2023 witnessed different root causes - big power politics, bilateral issues, coups, authoritarian regimes, gender, migration, etc. Third, 2023 also witnessed more weather anomalies, underlining the shift taking place because of climate change. Fourth, this year also witnessed the inability of the regional and global organizations to make any meaningful intervention, leading towards conflict resolution. Fifth, 2023 also witnessed a trend in the electoral success of right-wing parties. 

Will 2024 be any different? Let us be hopeful and optimistic, but get ready to face the reality.

Warm regards
D. Suba Chandran
Professor & Dean, School of Conflict and Security Studies
National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), IISc Campus, Bangalore

& Editor, Conflict Weekly


Conflict Weekly in 2023

52 Issues | 104 Comments | Ten Reviews | 11 Briefs/Special Comments
In 2023, Conflict Weekly published by NIAS-IPRI and the India Office of the KAS entered into the fourth year. During 2023, we published 52 issues with 104 focused notes, ten review reports and 11 special commentaries and briefs. It covered regions including, East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, Caucasus, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Latin America and North America. It also had a focus on issues relating to gender, climate change, migration and humanitarian crisis. The war in Ukraine, earthquakes in Syria, Turkey and Afghanistan, instability in Myanmar, floods in East Africa and Libya, Israel-Gaza war, Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, coups in Africa, abortion debates in the Americas, migration crisis in Europe, conflicts in Sudan and Ethiopia and protests and gang violence in Latin Americas were this year’s focus.

NIAS-KAS Conflict Weekly provides an exclusive space for the young scholars and attempts to train them at an early part of their career. This year we had students from the following institutions contributing to different issues: Kristu Jayanti College, Bangalore, St Joseph’s College, Bangalore, Loyola College, Chennai, Stella Maris College, Chennai, Indian Maritime University, Chennai, Pondicherry University, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, Calicut University, Kerala and Mysore University.

Anu Maria Joseph and Dhriti Mukherjee
Assistant Editors, Conflict Weekly


China, East and Southeast Asia
China: First population decline since 1960 highlights demographic crisis
Avishka Ashok

19 January 2023

China: Protests against medical insurance system highlights societal frustrations
Avishka Ashok

16 February 2023

South Korea and Japan: Forced reconciliation amidst regional tensions
Femy Francis 
9 March 2023
  

“Former Soviet republics are not sovereign states”: Chinese Ambassador's statement creates diplomatic tensions
Femy Francis
27 April 2023


Japan and the Fukushima Power Plant: The controversy over releasing the wastewater
Sneha Surendran
20 July 2023

Myanmar: The ASEAN leadership question
Genesy Balasingham
7 September 2023


Australia’s Failed Referendum on Indigenous Voice: Navigating recognition and reconciliation
Dhriti Mukherjee
19 October 2023


Southeast Asia: The Philippines-China Maritime Dispute
Rishika Yadav
26 October 2023


China-Philippines: Rising tensions in the South China Sea
Annem Naga Bindhu Madhuri
14 December 2023

South Asia, Central Asia and the Caucasus
Imran Khan's arrest attempt and political turmoil in Pakistan
Femy Francis

16 March 2023

Sri Lanka: IMF's approval of EEF program
Chrishari de Alwis Gunasekare

23 March 2023

Bhutan's Gross National Happiness (GNH): Deeply Happy, Extensively Happy...
Lakshmi Parimala H

25 May 2023

Afghanistan: An Unprecedented Tragedy After Earthquake
Shamini Velayutham

12 October 2023

Pakistan: Repatriation of illegal immigrants 
Shamini Velayutham

9 November 2023

Pakistan: Another terrorist attack
Rohini Reenum
14 December 2023


Nagorna-Karabakh: The Armenia-Azerbaijan negotiations in the US fail to reach a consensus 
Abigail Miriam Fernandez

10 May 2023

Azerbaijan and Armenia: Another Round of Violence followed by Ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh
Abigail Miriam Fernandez

21 September 2023

Armenia-Azerbaijan: Nagorno-Karabakh state announces dissolution
Abigail Miriam Fernandez

28 September 2023

The Middle East
Israel-Palestine: Itamar Ben Gvir’s controversial visit to al Aqsa
Mohaimeen Khan

12 January 2023

Israel: Protests against proposed judicial reforms
Mohaimeen Khan

19 January 2023

Israel-Palestine: Escalating violence, protest over reforms and Blinken’s visit
Anu Maria Joseph

3 February 2023

Turkey-Syria earthquake: Inadequate aid and humanitarian crisis
Nityashree RB

16 February 2023

Israel-Palestine: Return of violence 
Mohaimeen Khan

2 March 2023

Iran: Poisoning of school girls 
Mohaimeen Khan

9 March 2023

Israel: Protests intensify over judicial reforms 
Rashmi Ramesh

6 April 2023

Israel: Escalating violence and regional tensions
Mohaimeen Khan

13 April 2023

Arab League: The Return of Syria 
Nithyashree RB

25 May 2023

Israel: Violence in Jenin
Sandra D Costa

6 July 2023

Syria: Stalemate over Aid extension
Mohaimeen Khan

20 July 2023

Protests over Judicial Reforms in Israel
Sandra D Costa

27 July 2023

US and Iran: Prisoner exchange deal for USD six billion
Shamini Velayutham

21 September 2023

Israel-Palestine Conflict: The return of violence in Gaza
Rosemary Kurian, Rishita Verma and Shakthi Vigneshwaran

12 October 2023

Into the Second Week: Expanding Gaza Conflict, Increasing Violence, and Impending Humanitarian Disaster
D Suba Chandran

19 October 2023

Into the Third Week: The Worsening Situation in Gaza
D Suba Chandran

26 October 2023

Into the Fifth Week: The Continuing Ground Offensive and Israel’s Search for Hamas’ Command Centre
D Suba Chandran

16 November 2023

Gaza: End of a Fragile Pause
Shamini Velayutham

30 November 2023

The Crisis in the Red Sea: The Houthis, the Gaza War and the Economic Fallouts
Nuha Aamina
21 December 2023

 
Africa
Ivory Coast: Mali releases 46 Ivorian soldiers after over five months
Apoorva Sudhakar

12 January 2023

Continuing protests in Senegal 
Anu Maria Joseph

16 March 2023

Nigeria: A new wave of Kidnappings
Anu Maria Joseph

6 April 2023

Sudan: Intensifying political rivalry and expanding violence
Trisha Roy 

20 April 2023

Sudan: Fragile Ceasefire and Evacuation
Apoorva Sudhakar

27 April 2023

Sudan: Continuing fighting and prevailing uncertainties
Anu Maria Joseph

4 May 2023

Sudan: A Seventh Ceasefire
Anu Maria Joseph

25 May 2023

Cameroon: Anglophone, Francophone and a Separatist Insurgency
Jerry Franklin

1 June 2023

Uganda: Resurging insurgency
Anu Maria Joseph

22 June 2023

Sudan: Nine Ceasefires, No Solution in Sight
Anu Maria Joseph

29 June 2023

Mali: Termination of the UN Mission - MINUSMA
Nithyashree RB

6 July 2023

Niger: Another Coup 
Anu Maria Joseph

27 July 2023

Kenya: Anti-government protests turn violent
Jerry Franklin A

27 July 2023

Niger: Standoff after the coup
Jerry Franklin 

10 August 2023
Senegal: New political crisis, upsets another stable democracy in West Africa 
Sneha Surendran

10 August 2023

Ethiopia: Another conflict in Amhara
Anu Maria Joseph

24 August 2023

Niger: Continuing standoff
Jerry Franklin A

24 August 2023

Gabon: Coup amid a political crisis and contentious election
Nithyashree RB

31 August 2023

Gabon: Post-coup tensions
Nithyashree RB

7 September 2023

Sudan: Fighting continues, as parties gather internal and regional support 
Anu Maria Joseph

14 September 2023

Libya: Destructive floods kill more than ten thousand
Jerry Franklin

14 September 2023

Morocco: Devastating earthquake kills thousands
Akriti Sharma

14 September 2023

Sudan: Intense Fighting between the Warring Sides
Jerry Franklin

21 September 2023

Niger: Rising security threats after the coup
Jerry Franklin 

5 October 2023

Sudan: Seven months into the conflict
Anu Maria Joseph

9 November 2023

Devastating Floods in East Africa
Jerry Franklin A

23 November 2023

Sierra Leone: A failed coup
Anu Maria Joseph

30 November 2023

Europe and the Americas
Ukraine: A new military push, worsening the situation
Padmashree Anandhan

12 January 2023

Spain: Anti-government protests led by far-right parties
Padmashree Anandhan

19 January 2023

Sweden: Anti-Islamic protests
Madhura Mahesh

19 January 2023

France: Continued protests against pension reform
Madhura Mahesh

16 February 2023

New BREXIT deal on Northern Ireland: Some Answers, Tough Questions Ahead
Sourina Bej

2 March 2023

Ukraine: Battle for Bakhmut
Padmashree Anandhan

2 March 2023

Protests in Georgia: Foreign Agents bill called off 
Padmashree Anandhan

9 March 2023

Finland elections: An unexpected turn towards the Right
Padmashree Anandhan

6 April 2023

Ukraine: Russia claims control of two additional areas in Bakhmut
Padmashree Anandhan

20 April 2023

Ukraine: Efforts to strengthen counteroffensive and Russia’s counterassault
Padmashree Anandhan

4 May 2023

Ukraine: Russia claims victory in Bakhmut
Padmashree Anandhan

25 May 2023

Ukraine: President Zelensky's diplomatic offensive at the G7 and Arab League summits
Sreeja JS

25 May 2023

Russia and Ukraine: A New Drone Warfare
Padmashree Anandhan

1 June 2023

Violence in Kosovo: Dangers of Escalation
Rishika Yadav

1 June 2023

Ukraine: Counter-offensive, Russia's drone attacks, and NATOs air drills
Padmashree Anandhan

15 June 2023

Greece: Migrant boat disaster and humanitarian crisis
Nithyashree RB

22 June 2023

Russia: Rise and Fall of the Wagner Revolt
Padmashree Anandhan 

29 June 2023

France: Protests and anti-violence rallies underline issues bigger than a police shooting
Padmashree Anandhan 

6 July 2023

Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative: Uncertainty on global food security
Rishika Yadav

20 July 2023

The War in Ukraine: Escalation after drone attacks
Padmashree Anandhan

10 August 2023

Ukraine: The failure of the Black Sea Grain Initiative
Padmashree Anandhan

7 September 2023

Italy: Migrant crisis in the Mediterranean
Rishika Yadav

21 September 2023

Ukraine: Missile attacks, US divide over military aid and the Hungarian block
Padmashree Anandhan
14 December 2023


Ukraine: Hungary blocks EU financial aid to Kyiv
Manoranjan Kumar
21 December 2023


Brazil: Bolsonaro supporters storm the democratic institutions
Madhura Mahesh

12 January 2023

Mexico: Violence in Culiacan triggered by the arrest of cartel leader
Allen Joe Mathew

12 January 2023

Peru: Fresh protests and continuing political crisis
Madhura Mahesh

19 January 2023

US: Air Force shoots down Chinese balloon
Melvin George

9 February 2023

Bank distress across the US and Europe
Ankit Singh

16 March 2023

Haiti: Gang violence worsens as hundreds killed since the beginning of 2023
Apoorva Sudhakar

23 March 2023

Ecuador: Increasing political violence
Madhura Mahesh

17 August 2023

Hawaii: The wildfires
Dhriti Mukherjee

17 August 2023

Colombia: One year of “total peace” plan
Dhriti Mukherjee

31 August 2023

Mexico: Abortion decriminalisation unveils a 'Green Wave' of change
Dhriti Mukherjee

14 September 2023

The US: The Auto Workers' Strike against the Detroit Three
Lakshmi Parimala H

21 September 2023

Latin America: Rapprochement between Venezuela and the US
Dhriti Mukherjee

26 October 2023

Review Reports
WMO's Report on "Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update": Seven Takeaways
Varsha K

25 May 2023

Hunger Hotspots: Five Takeaways of FAO‑WFP report on food insecurity
Varsha K and Nithyashree RB

1 June 2023

Persisting Ethnic Cleansing in Ethiopia's Tigray region: Four Takeaways of HRW Report
Anu Maria Joseph

8 June 2023

Sea Ice-Free Arctic: Three Takeaways of article by Nature Communications
Rashmi Ramesh

8 June 2023

State of the Climate in Europe 2022: Four Takeaways
Akriti Sharma

22 June

Taliban's Arms Regulation System: Five Takeaways
Ryan Marcus

22 June 2023

Global Gender Gap Report 2023: Regional Takeaways
Rishika Yadav, Sneha Surendran, Sandra D Costa, Ryan Marcus, Prerana P and Nithyashree RB

29 June 2023

Myanmar: Five takeaways of the UNHCR report on climate-induced displacement
Rishika Yadav

6 July 2023

Afghanistan: Four Takeaways of the US State Department Report on After Action Review
Ryan Marcus

6 July 2023

Killing of Ethiopian migrants at the Yemen border by Saudi Arabia: Four takeaways of a HRW Report
Shamini Velayutham

24 August 2023

Special Commentaries/
Briefs/Quarterly Forecasts

25 years of Good Friday Agreement
New 'Troubles', Peace in Question
Sourina Bej

13 April 2023

India: Violence continues in Manipur 
Bibhu Prasad Routray

15 June 2023

The Civil War in Myanmar:
Continuing Violence, the Battle of Attrition, and the Divide within ASEAN
Bibhu Prasad Routray

22 June 2023

Afghanistan: Two Years of the Taliban's Rule
Abigail Miriam Fernandez

17 August 2023

Droughts in East Africa: A climate disaster
Akriti Sharma

2 May 2023

The State of Conflict in Myanmar: Violence, Counter-Violence, and the Current Impasse
Bibhu Prasad Routray

4 May 2023

Myanmar: Two years since the coup
Bibhu Prasad Routray

15 February 2023

Increasing Insurgency in East Africa: Major Trends and Trajectories
S Shaji

8 August 2023

Myanmar Continues to Burn
Bibhu Prasad Routray

26 July 2023

Return of Violence in Manipur
Bibhu Prasad Routray

26 July 2023

Violence in India's Manipur: Clash of Perceptions of Marginalization and Victimhood
Bibhu Prasad Routray

11 May 2023

Issues
Climate change: Wildfires in South America and extreme cold in North America
Akriti Sharma

9 February 2023

Canada: Raging Wildfires and its fallouts
Akriti Sharma

8 June 2023

Climate change: Extreme weather events across the US, Europe, and Asia
Akriti Sharma

20 July 2023

Global Flood Security: The London Summit
Rajika Kanungo

23 November 2023

 

About the authors
Ankit Singh, Akriti Sharma, Harini Madhusudan, Rashmi BR and Rohini Reenum are PhD at the School of Conflict and Security Studies, NIAS.

Sourina Bej is a doctoral candidate at the University of Bonn.

Manoranjan Kumar is a PhD Scholar at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi.

Trisha Roy is a PhD Scholar at Christ (Deemed To Be) University, Bangalore.  Prerana P is a Postgraduate Scholar at Christ (Deemed To Be) University, Bangalore.

Padmashree Anandhan, Anu Maria Joseph, Femy Francis, Rishika Yadav, Shamini Velayutham and Dhriti Mukherjee are Research Assistants at NIAS.

Apoorva Sudhakar is a Research Analyst at Janes, Bangalore. Mohaimeen Khan is a Research Analyst at Janes, Bangalore.

Chrishari de Alwis Gunasekare is a Research Assistant at Verité Research, Sri Lanka.

Nuha Aamina is a Postgraduate Scholar at St Joseph’s University, Bangalore.

Sneha Surendran is a Postgraduate Scholar at the OP Jindal University, Haryana.

Annem Naga Bindhu Madhuri and Genesy Balasingham are Postgraduate Scholars at the University of Madras.  

Subiksha S, Taffy Tonia A, Lakshmi Parimala H and Nithyashree RB are Postgraduate Scholars at Stella Maris College, Chennai.

Sreeja JS, Varsha K, Immaculate Joy Paul and Jerry Franklin are Postgraduate Scholars at the Madras Christian College, Chennai.

Ryan Marcus is an Undergraduate Scholar at Kristu Jayanti College, Bangalore. 

Dr Bibhu Prasad Routray is the Director of Mantraya, Goa. He was formerly a Deputy Director at the National Security Council Secretariat, Government of India.

Dr S Shaji teaches at the Department of Political Science, University of Hyderabad.

Avishka Ashok is an independent scholar based in Mumbai.  Abigail Fernandez is an independent scholar based in Bangalore. Sandra D Costa is an independent scholar based in Kerala.  

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