Second Congo War (1998-2003)
Location: Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
Number of victims: Estimates range from 2 to 5 million
Reasons for the war: Political instability, competition over resources, ethnic tensions, and involvement of neighboring countries.
Majority religion: Christianity and indigenous beliefs.
Rwandan Genocide (1994)
Location: Rwanda
Number of victims: Estimates range from 500,000 to 1 million
Reasons for the war: Ethnic tensions between the Hutu and Tutsi populations, fueled by political manipulation and historical grievances.
Majority religion: Christianity.
Sri Lankan Civil War (1983-2009)
Location: Sri Lanka
Number of victims: Estimates range from 70,000 to 100,000
Reasons for the war: Ethnic tensions between the Sinhalese majority and the Tamil minority, aspirations for Tamil independence.
Majority religion: Buddhism and Hinduism.
South Sudan Civil War (2013-present)
Location: South Sudan
Number of victims: Tens of thousands to over 400,000
Reasons for the war: Power struggle, ethnic tensions, and governance issues following South Sudan’s independence from Sudan.
Majority religion: Christianity and indigenous beliefs.
Angolan Civil War (1975-2002)
Location: Angola
Number of victims: Estimates range from 500,000 to 1.5 million
Reasons for the war: Ideological struggle between rival factions following independence from Portugal, involvement of external powers.
Majority religion: Christianity and indigenous beliefs.
Central African Republic Civil War (2012-present)
Location: Central African Republic
Number of victims: Tens of thousands
Reasons for the war: Political instability, ethnic and religious tensions, and competition over resources.
Majority religion: Christianity and indigenous beliefs.
Mozambican Civil War (1977-1992)
Location: Mozambique
Number of victims: Estimates range from hundreds of thousands to over 1 million
Reasons for the war: Ideological struggle between the FRELIMO government and the RENAMO rebel group, external support for both sides.
Majority religion: Christianity and indigenous beliefs.
Ugandan Bush War (1981-1986)
Location: Uganda
Number of victims: Tens of thousands to over 100,000
Reasons for the war: Resistance against the government of Milton Obote and later against the regime of Tito Okello.
Majority religion: Christianity and indigenous beliefs.
Guatemalan Civil War (1960-1996)
Location: Guatemala
Number of victims: Estimates range from 200,000 to 250,000
Reasons for the war: Socioeconomic inequality, repression of indigenous populations, and Cold War dynamics.
Majority religion: Christianity and indigenous beliefs.
Colombian Conflict (1964-present)
Location: Colombia
Number of victims: Estimates range from 220,000 to 260,000
Reasons for the war: Ideological struggle between government forces, leftist guerrillas, paramilitary groups, and drug cartels.
Majority religion: Christianity.
Angolan War of Independence (1961-1974)
Location: Angola
Number of victims: Estimates range from tens of thousands to over 100,000
Reasons for the war: Anti-colonial struggle against Portuguese rule, aspirations for independence.
Majority religion: Christianity and indigenous beliefs.
Mexican Drug War (2006-present)
Location: Mexico
Number of victims: Estimates range from 150,000 to 250,000
Reasons for the war: The Mexican Drug War is primarily a conflict between various drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and the Mexican government. It involves battles over control of drug trafficking routes, turf wars between rival cartels, and efforts by the government to combat drug-related violence and organized crime. Socioeconomic factors such as poverty, corruption, and weak institutions have contributed to the escalation of violence.
Majority religion: Predominantly Catholic.
South African Apartheid Struggle (1948-1994)
Location: South Africa
Number of victims: Estimates vary, but tens of thousands died
Reasons for the struggle: Apartheid was a system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination enforced by the National Party government of South Africa from 1948 to 1994. The struggle against apartheid involved a range of tactics including nonviolent resistance, civil disobedience, and armed struggle by various anti-apartheid movements such as the African National Congress (ANC), Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), and others. It was driven by a desire for equality, justice, and the dismantling of apartheid policies that marginalized and oppressed the majority black population.
Majority religion: Christianity, with a significant population adhering to indigenous African religions.
Northern Ireland Conflict (The Troubles) (1968-1998)
Location: Northern Ireland
Number of victims: Estimates range from 3,500 to 4,000
Reasons for the conflict: The Troubles were a protracted conflict between nationalist Catholics, who sought a united Ireland, and unionist Protestants, who wished to remain part of the United Kingdom. The conflict was deeply rooted in religious and political divisions, as well as historical grievances.
Majority religion: Christianity (Catholicism and Protestantism).
Peruvian Internal Conflict (1980-2000)
Location: Peru
Number of victims: Estimates range from 70,000 to 80,000
Reasons for the conflict: The Peruvian Internal Conflict involved a struggle between government forces and various leftist guerrilla groups, including the Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso) and the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA). While not explicitly religious, the conflict occurred in a predominantly Catholic country and involved issues of social justice and inequality.
Majority religion: Christianity (Catholicism).
Rhodesian Bush War (1964-1979)
Location: Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe)
Number of victims: Estimates range from 20,000 to 30,000
Reasons for the war: The Rhodesian Bush War was a conflict between the white minority government of Rhodesia and various black nationalist guerrilla groups, such as the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) and the Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA). It was driven by the fight against colonialism and racial segregation.
Majority religion: Christianity (Anglicanism and Catholicism).
El Salvador Civil War (1979-1992)
Location: El Salvador
Number of victims: Estimates range from 75,000 to 100,000
Reasons for the war: The Salvadoran Civil War was a conflict between the government of El Salvador, supported by the United States, and leftist guerrilla groups, primarily the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN). It was fueled by social inequality, political repression, and Cold War rivalries.
Majority religion: Christianity (Catholicism).
Cambodian Civil War (1967-1975)
Location: Cambodia
Number of victims: Estimates range from 1.5 to 2 million
Reasons for the war: The Cambodian Civil War was a conflict between the government of Cambodia, led by Prince Norodom Sihanouk, and various communist insurgent groups, notably the Khmer Rouge. It was influenced by the Vietnam War and Cold War dynamics.
Majority religion: Buddhism.
Ethiopian Civil War (1974-1991)
Location: Ethiopia
Number of victims: Estimates range from hundreds of thousands to over 1 million
Reasons for the conflict: The Ethiopian Civil War involved the overthrow of Emperor Haile Selassie’s regime by the Derg, a Marxist-Leninist military junta. It led to a protracted conflict between the Derg and various rebel groups, including the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF).
Majority religion: Christianity (Orthodox).
Paraguayan War (1864-1870)
Location: Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay
Number of victims: Estimates range from 300,000 to 1.2 million
Reasons for the conflict: The Paraguayan War, also known as the War of the Triple Alliance, was fought between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay. It stemmed from territorial disputes, power struggles, and economic interests in the region.
Majority religion: Christianity (Catholicism and Protestantism).
Croatian War of Independence (1991-1995)
Location: Croatia
Number of victims: Estimates range from 20,000 to 25,000
Reasons for the conflict: The Croatian War of Independence was fought between Croatian forces seeking independence from Yugoslavia and the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA), supported by Serbian militias. The war was driven by nationalist aspirations, ethnic tensions, and the dissolution of Yugoslavia.
Majority religion: Christianity (Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy).
Greek Civil War (1946-1949)
Location: Greece
Number of victims: Estimates range from 50,000 to 158,000
Reasons for the conflict: The Greek Civil War was a conflict between the Greek government, supported by Western powers, and communist guerrillas (ELAS) backed by Yugoslavia and Albania. It followed the end of World War II and involved ideological and geopolitical struggles.
Majority religion: Christianity (Eastern Orthodoxy).
Vietnam War (1955-1975)
Location: Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia
Number of victims: Estimates range from 1.5 to 3 million
Reasons for the conflict: The Vietnam War was a protracted conflict between North Vietnam, supported by communist allies, and South Vietnam, backed by the United States and other anti-communist forces. It was driven by ideological, political, and geopolitical factors during the Cold War era.
Majority religion: Buddhism.
Imaan Booster 