Where Is War

Is there a war in Ethiopia?

Yes. UCDP lists 9 active armed conflicts with fighting recorded in Ethiopia.

2 of them at war level (1,000+ deaths in a year). Largest: Sudan: Government (mainly in Sudan), 12,269 deaths in 2025.

Updated 30 October 2026 · UCDP data through 30 September 2026 · View on map →

Deaths recorded in Ethiopia in 2025

4,331in state-based fighting
303in fighting between armed groups
824in attacks on civilians (one-sided violence)

UCDP GED Global 26.1: best estimates for events located in Ethiopia (as UCDP places them), by type of violence. The three are shown separately, as UCDP counts them, and are not added together here.

The conflicts

Each conflict as UCDP defines it: a dispute with at least 25 battle-related deaths in a year. Figures are UCDP best estimates; the newest months are preliminary and can change. UCDP does not record who started each clash.

War levelState-based conflict · UCDP start year 1971

Sudan: Government

12,269deaths in 2025UCDP Battle-Related Deaths Dataset 26.1 (conflict level)
3,280deaths in Jan–Sep 2026preliminary · UCDP Candidate Events Dataset 26.01.26.09
78,146total 1989–2025sum of the UCDP yearly figures below (36 years listed)

Who is fighting: Government of Sudan vs RSF, SFA, SPLM/A-North

1989: 4,2531990: 4,3351991: 1,3171992: 1,0831993: 9421994: 3371995: 1,0001996: 2,2891997: 3,7091998: 4,8911999: 1,4082000: 2,8412001: 3,4082002: 2,0212003: 1,9992004: 3,2782005: 1612006: 1,0022007: 2172008: 5982009: 3532010: 1,0102011: 1,2592012: 1,1732013: 5942014: 8562015: 1,2642016: 1,3092017: 1602018: 2432019: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2020: 452021: 312022: 472023: 11,7602024: 4,6842025: 12,2692026: 3,280 (Jan–Sep 2026, preliminary)
1989highest: 12,2692026*

* Jan–Sep 2026, preliminary (hatched). Grey: year not in the dataset (UCDP lists a conflict-year only with at least 25 deaths).

Latest recorded fighting: September 2026

Conflict-wide figures (not only Ethiopia). Also recorded in: Sudan, Chad.

Figures by year
YearDeaths (best estimate)
Jan–Sep 2026 preliminary3,280
202512,269
20244,684
202311,760
202247
202131
202045
2018243
2017160
20161,309
20151,264
2014856
2013594
20121,173
20111,259
20101,010
2009353
2008598
2007217
20061,002
2005161
20043,278
20031,999
20022,021
20013,408
20002,841
19991,408
19984,891
19973,709
19962,289
19951,000
1994337
1993942
19921,083
19911,317
19904,335
19894,253

UCDP conflict page · CrisisWatch: Sudan · War WATCH (legal classification) · View on map →

War levelState-based conflict · UCDP start year 2023

Ethiopia: Government/Amhara

3,835deaths in 2025UCDP Battle-Related Deaths Dataset 26.1 (conflict level)
2,116deaths in Jan–Sep 2026preliminary · UCDP Candidate Events Dataset 26.01.26.09
7,281total 2023–2025sum of the UCDP yearly figures below (3 years listed)

Who is fighting: Government of Ethiopia vs Fano

2023: 1,2552024: 2,1912025: 3,8352026: 2,116 (Jan–Sep 2026, preliminary)
2023highest: 3,8352026*

* Jan–Sep 2026, preliminary (hatched). Grey: year not in the dataset (UCDP lists a conflict-year only with at least 25 deaths).

Latest recorded fighting: September 2026

Figures by year
YearDeaths (best estimate)
Jan–Sep 2026 preliminary2,116
20253,835
20242,191
20231,255

UCDP conflict page · CrisisWatch: Ethiopia · War WATCH (legal classification) · View on map →

Armed conflictState-based conflict · UCDP start year 1974

Ethiopia: Oromiya

477deaths in 2025UCDP Battle-Related Deaths Dataset 26.1 (conflict level)
274deaths in Jan–Sep 2026preliminary · UCDP Candidate Events Dataset 26.01.26.09
4,888total 1989–2025sum of the UCDP yearly figures below (31 years listed)

Who is fighting: Government of Ethiopia vs OLA

1989: 251990: 801991: 7001992: 1651993: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)1994: 251995: 251996: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)1997: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)1998: 251999: 6832000: 252001: 252002: 252003: 252004: 252005: 252006: 252007: 252008: 252009: 422010: 252011: 252012: 252013: 252014: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2015: 252016: 252017: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2018: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2019: 402020: 282021: 2832022: 7662023: 4642024: 6852025: 4772026: 274 (Jan–Sep 2026, preliminary)
1989highest: 7662026*

* Jan–Sep 2026, preliminary (hatched). Grey: year not in the dataset (UCDP lists a conflict-year only with at least 25 deaths).

Latest recorded fighting: September 2026

Figures by year
YearDeaths (best estimate)
Jan–Sep 2026 preliminary274
2025477
2024685
2023464
2022766
2021283
202028
201940
201625
201525
201325
201225
201125
201025
200942
200825
200725
200625
200525
200425
200325
200225
200125
200025
1999683
199825
199525
199425
1992165
1991700
199080
198925

UCDP conflict page · CrisisWatch: Ethiopia · War WATCH (legal classification) · View on map →

Armed conflictNon-state conflict (between armed groups) · UCDP start year 1997

Anuak - Nuer

159deaths in 2025UCDP Non-State Conflict Dataset 26.1
16deaths in Jan–Sep 2026preliminary · UCDP Candidate Events Dataset 26.01.26.09
603total 2002–2025sum of the UCDP yearly figures below (7 years listed)

Who is fighting: Anuak vs Nuer

1997: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)1998: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)1999: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2000: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2001: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2002: 1012003: 362004: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2005: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2006: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2007: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2008: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2009: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2010: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2011: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2012: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2013: 282014: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2015: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2016: 282017: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2018: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2019: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2020: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2021: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2022: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2023: 1272024: 1242025: 1592026: 16 (Jan–Sep 2026, preliminary)
1997highest: 1592026*

* Jan–Sep 2026, preliminary (hatched). Grey: year not in the dataset (UCDP lists a conflict-year only with at least 25 deaths).

Latest recorded fighting: September 2026

Figures by year
YearDeaths (best estimate)
Jan–Sep 2026 preliminary16
2025159
2024124
2023127
201628
201328
200336
2002101

UCDP conflict page · CrisisWatch: Ethiopia · View on map →

Armed conflictNon-state conflict (between armed groups) · UCDP start year 2025

AFNF - AFPO

105deaths in 2025UCDP Non-State Conflict Dataset 26.1

Who is fighting: AFNF vs AFPO

2025: 105
2025highest: 1052025

Grey: year not in the dataset (UCDP lists a conflict-year only with at least 25 deaths).

Latest recorded fighting: September 2025

Figures by year
YearDeaths (best estimate)
2025105

UCDP conflict page · CrisisWatch: Ethiopia · View on map →

4 more conflicts in Ethiopia

Conflict (UCDP)2025Jan–Sep 2026
preliminary
Dassanetch - Turkana
Dassanetch vs Turkana		45–Map
Ethiopia: Government
Government of Ethiopia vs TPLF, EPFAS		–574Map
Ethiopia: Benishangul-Gumuz
Government of Ethiopia vs BDF, GFNF		–41Map
Guji - Sidama
Guji vs Sidama		–34Map

Military personnel

138,000own armed forces (2020)World Bank / IISS · active + paramilitary

Foreign military personnel in Ethiopia

United States17

assigned · 31 Aug 2026 · DoD DMDC

Other countries may have forces here; only official, reusable figures are shown.

Other countries with active armed conflicts in Africa

AngolaBeninBurkina FasoBurundiCameroonCentral African RepublicChadDR CongoGhanaKenyaMaliMozambiqueNigerNigeriaRwandaSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth SudanSudanTogo

All countries →

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