Top 7 Civil Wars of the Modern Era

There are times when war develops within a single country rather than between states. There are numerous causes for civil wars. Political, religious, or even political division can cause a nation to fall apart. These are situations where the population could genuinely be affected by the brutal civil conflicts of the modern era. In addition to impeding advancement, this might result in violations of human rights.

It is typical for nations that have fought these kinds of battles to experience negative economic and social effects. Regrettably, these wars may last for several years or even decades.

Top 7 Civil Wars of the Modern Era

What was the most brutal modern civil war? Listed below are the top 7 bloody civil wars of modern history.

• Angolan Civil War

Angola battled Portugal for its freedom. Angola became free and set up a communist government with the aid of the Soviet Union and Cuba. After then, civil war started. The Movement for the Liberation of Angola was opposed by the Union for Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), which was supported by the CIA. Both sides engaged in battle for about 27 years. Many people believe it to have been one of the longest civil wars in recent history.

After Jonas Savimbi was murdered in 2002, the Angolan Civil War came to a conclusion. After that, a cease-fire was agreed upon by all parties, and elections were held. Sadly, the Angolan Civil War destroyed the country's economy and claimed 500,000 lives.

• The Laos Secret War

The communist Pathet Lao and the Royal Lao Government engaged in combat during the Laotian Civil War, also known as the Secret War. Because the CIA was involved in the situation, it was referred to as the Secret War. The Royal Lao Government took over after the French left Indochina, but it did not include the armed nationalist movement opposed to colonialism. Laos has lost 450 000 people in this battle, whereas Cambodia has lost 600,000. There are now more than one million refugees. In addition to the sheer number of casualties, the deployment of chemical weapons is another factor that contributes to its inclusion in our list of the most brutal civil conflicts in modern history.

• Somali Civil War

Since 1991, the Somali Civil war is still going on until the present. Home to a number of people, Siad Barre during the late 80s was their unpopular leader. In response, he attacked opposing forces which even accelerated his removal from power. In 1990s, he was reinstated in power using a revolution. After this, Northern part of the country declared independence. However, it is still unrecognized.

Until today, Somalia is among the top countries receiving help from the UN. UN constantly sends peacekeeping forces in order to facilitate aids distributed into the populace.

• Iraq Civil War

Right after 9-11 when America decided to attack Iraq in search of Weapons of Mass Destruction, it has left the country in ruins. In effect, it has created a civil war that has been responsible for the creation of ISIS. It is part of our list of bloody civil wars because of number of other countries directly or indirectly affected by Iraq’s conflict.

It started when Fallujah and Mosul were conquered by ISIS. This forced the resignation of PM Nouri Al-Maliki. Also, this problem resulted to massive number of refugees and civilian casualties.

• Boko Haram Insurgency

Boko Haram is a jihadist group that decided to take arms in 2009 against the government of Nigeria. By 2012, there were different factions that have been formed from Boko Haram. The most dominant and violent faction is led by Abubakar Shekau. In 2015, there were other Boko Haram groups that have joined Al Qaeda.

By 2013, 1,000 people already died as a result of this conflict. By 2014, it escalated even more and casualties reached to over 10,000 deaths. Today, the conflict has been seen in other African countries.

• War in North West Pakistan

The War in North West Pakistan is another that has made it onto our list of brutal civil wars in the modern age. The War in Waziristan is another name for the battle that is taking place in North West Pakistan. The government of Pakistan is engaged in hostilities with organizations like ISIS and the Terik-i-Taliban-Pakistan (TTP). It all began in 2004 when the government began looking in Waziristan for potential Al Qaeda members. It eventually turned into wholly armed opposition. Today, there have been close to 60,000 total casualties, and the conflict is still ongoing.

• Spanish Civil War

One of the worst civil conflicts in contemporary history, the Spanish Civil War lasted from 1936 until 1939. Only because of the conduct of the fascist Nationalist organization, it is included in our list of the most violent civil conflicts of the modern age.

Supporters of the Nationalists commanded by General Franco and the democratically elected president are at odds. The fact that the Spanish Civil War served as a prelude to the Second World War gives it historical significance. While the Soviet Union backed the other side, Nazi Germany backed Franco, who finally dominated the country as a tyrant.

There are many conflicts within countries. From rebel groups trying to gain power to religious groups trying to get rid of each other, these are just some of the reasons why some conflicts are present in some countries. However, there are also instances when it is initiated by other factors such as presence of foreign influence such as CIA supporting groups that can protect US interests.