Fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces remains active across several parts of Sudan, including Darfur and the Kordofans.

Sudan remains No. 1 because large-scale fighting, forced displacement, hunger, and the breakdown of essential services continue together. The UN Refugee Agency reported in late September that about 11.3 million people were forcibly displaced, including roughly 6.4 million within Sudan.

Unchanged at No. 1. The unchanged position reflects continuing extreme severity, not stability.

Fighting across several regions, attacks affecting civilians, repeated displacement, food insecurity, damaged public services, and serious limits on humanitarian access.

More than three years of war have damaged health care, education, livelihoods, food access, and the ability of millions of families to live safely.

Pray for civilians to be protected from killing, abuse, and forced displacement; for food and medical care to reach families in need; for commanders and political leaders to turn from further violence; for justice where atrocities have been committed; and for churches to serve faithfully amid fear and loss.

Russia’s invasion remains one of the world’s largest active interstate wars, combining sustained frontline combat with extensive missile and drone attacks.

Civilian casualties have risen sharply in 2026. United Nations human rights monitoring recorded 2,222 civilians killed and 13,058 injured from January through August—already more casualties than were recorded during all of 2025.

Rises from No. 3 to No. 2. The rise reflects sustained military intensity and the worsening civilian-casualty pattern during 2026.

Frontline combat, long-range strikes, civilian deaths and injuries, displacement, damage to infrastructure, and continued danger to cities far from the front.

Communities close to the fighting face repeated attacks and evacuation, while missiles and drones continue to affect homes, businesses, transport systems, and other civilian facilities across the country.

Pray for civilians, the wounded, and displaced families; for restraint by Russian and Ukrainian forces; for prisoners and separated families; for churches and chaplains caring for people living with trauma; for protection of critical infrastructure; and for a just path toward peace.

Yemen has returned to substantial conflict escalation, with renewed fighting forcing families from their homes and increasing regional security risks.

The combination of fresh fighting and severe pre-existing humanitarian need places Yemen among the most serious conflicts this month. On October 2, the World Food Programme reported that renewed fighting had displaced more than 149,000 people and that 18.3 million people across Yemen faced acute food insecurity.

Enters at No. 3. Yemen was on July’s watchlist when large-scale fighting remained comparatively reduced. The recent escalation changes that assessment.

Renewed combat, displacement, disrupted markets and aid access, widespread hunger, and growing danger around important regional transport routes.

Families are being displaced again in a country where millions already struggle to obtain enough food and where years of conflict have weakened livelihoods and public services.

Pray for the fighting to ease quickly; for families forced from their homes to find safety, food, and medical care; for restraint among Yemeni and regional combatants; for children facing hunger and displacement; and for Christians to endure faithfully amid deep insecurity.

Gaza remains profoundly affected by the consequences of war, while strikes and other military activity have continued despite the ceasefire.

Reduced fighting matters in a ranking of active armed conflict, but the scale of humanitarian suffering and destruction remains extraordinary. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported in late September that 94% of Gaza’s population required urgent shelter and basic household assistance.

Current conflict monitoring also shows that violence has fallen substantially compared with the earlier war period, while airstrikes continued and increased again during September.

Falls from No. 2 to No. 4. This reflects lower active-war intensity and sharper escalation elsewhere. It does not mean Gaza’s humanitarian crisis has ended.

Continuing strikes, unsafe or destroyed housing, displacement, shortages of medical supplies, damaged water and sanitation systems, and restrictions affecting humanitarian operations.

Many families remain in tents, makeshift shelters, or damaged buildings, while essential health, water, sanitation, and housing systems remain severely impaired.

Pray for Palestinian and Israeli civilians to be protected from further violence; for food, shelter, medicine, and safe humanitarian access; for armed actors to exercise restraint; for families carrying grief and trauma; and for a durable peace marked by justice and respect for human life.

Myanmar remains a large multi-front conflict involving the military, resistance forces, and numerous ethnic armed organizations.

The war affects communities across many parts of the country and continues to create severe humanitarian needs. The United Nations Children’s Fund reported that 16.2 million people required humanitarian assistance and that nearly 3.8 million people were internally displaced by mid-2026.

Unchanged at No. 5. Yemen’s rise changes the countries above Myanmar, but Myanmar itself remains one of the world’s most entrenched major conflicts.

Armed clashes, airstrikes, landmines, displacement, fragmented control of territory, and serious restrictions on humanitarian access.

Families are being displaced across several regions while conflict, economic decline, and weakened public services make it harder for civilians to find safety, health care, education, and reliable livelihoods.

Pray for civilians exposed to airstrikes and armed clashes; for displaced families and ethnic minorities; for protection from forced recruitment and landmines; for humanitarian workers to reach communities in need; and for churches to serve courageously and compassionately.

Fighting involving the 23 March Movement and numerous other armed groups remains active across eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, alongside continuing violence in Ituri and other areas.

The conflict is deeply entrenched and repeatedly creates new protection emergencies. Following renewed fighting in Ituri on September 27, about 3,100 civilians—including many women and children—sought protection near a United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo base.

Falls from No. 4 to No. 6. This is mainly a result of Yemen’s renewed escalation and changes elsewhere in the comparison, not a sign that eastern Congo has become safe.

Fighting involving the 23 March Movement, violence by other armed groups, repeated displacement, attacks on civilians, sexual violence, and barriers to humanitarian access.

Large numbers of people remain displaced or have returned to areas where security and basic services are uncertain, while conflict continues to interact with hunger and disease.

Pray for civilians threatened by armed groups; for displaced families to find safety; for women and children vulnerable to abuse; for aid workers to reach people in danger; for regional leaders to pursue peace rather than further conflict; and for churches caring for frightened and traumatized communities.

Lebanon remains directly affected by Israel–Hezbollah hostilities and continuing military activity, especially in the south.

The effects of the 2026 escalation remain severe. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) recorded 333,144 internally displaced people as of September 9 after displacement had earlier exceeded 1.2 million. Lebanese health authorities reported through IOM that 4,335 people had been killed since March 2, including deaths after the June ceasefire.

Conflict monitoring also recorded increased air and drone attacks during September compared with the earlier ceasefire period.

Falls from No. 6 to No. 7. This one-place fall is comparative. Lebanon remains seriously affected by active conflict.

Continuing strikes, fragile returns, renewed displacement, damaged homes and infrastructure, and the risk that larger-scale fighting could resume.

The conflict has damaged homes, health facilities, livelihoods, and already strained public services, especially in southern Lebanon.

Pray for civilians in Lebanon and Israel; for restraint by Israel and Hezbollah; for displaced and returning families to find safety; for homes, livelihoods, and public services to be restored; for lawful institutions to grow stronger; and for churches to serve people across political and sectarian divisions.

Iran remains involved in an unresolved armed conflict with the United States and Israel, with major cumulative military activity and continuing regional risks.

The overall 2026 conflict has been extensive, but the latest fighting is less intense than cumulative figures alone suggest. Armed Conflict Location & Event Data recorded two United States–Israeli strike events and four Iranian strike events during September 22–28, compared with thousands of strike events recorded since February 28.

Falls from No. 7 to No. 8. Iran remains seriously affected, but lower current strike activity places it below several wars where civilians are facing more intense immediate fighting.

An unresolved interstate conflict, damaged infrastructure, economic strain, disruption affecting civilian life, sporadic strikes, and continuing danger around regional transport and energy routes.

Even during periods of lower direct strike activity, the damage and wider economic effects of months of conflict continue to affect civilian life.

Pray for civilians to be protected; for leaders and armed forces on every side to exercise restraint; for families to have reliable access to medicine and essential services; for churches and vulnerable Christians to be protected; and for serious diplomacy to reduce the danger of renewed large-scale fighting.

Burkina Faso remains one of the main theatres of the central Sahel insurgency, involving the Group for Support of Islam and Muslims, Islamic State Sahel Province, and national security forces.

The insurgency is deeply established, and armed groups remain capable of sustained operations, territorial expansion, and major attacks. Current Armed Conflict Location & Event Data analysis continues to describe Burkina Faso as one of the core states affected by the regional jihadist conflict, with major fighting between armed groups also recorded during September.

Unchanged at No. 9. The conflict remains severe enough to keep Burkina Faso inside the Top Ten despite major changes elsewhere.

Insurgent attacks, fighting among armed groups and security forces, danger to civilians, displacement, and weak state reach in conflict-affected areas.

Insecurity limits safe movement and access to livelihoods, education, and essential services. Across Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, the UN Refugee Agency reported 3.8 million forcibly displaced people by the end of July, with insecurity remaining the main driver.

Pray for civilians living under militant threat; for displaced families; for pastors and churches serving insecure communities; for security forces to protect civilians lawfully and responsibly; for isolated communities to receive food and basic services; and for armed groups that prey on civilians to lose their power.

Mali remains at the centre of the Sahel conflict, involving the Group for Support of Islam and Muslims, Islamic State Sahel Province, state forces, and other armed groups.

Mali remains narrowly inside the Top Ten because armed groups demonstrated substantial military reach during 2026. In the spring, a coordinated offensive by the Group for Support of Islam and Muslims and the Azawad Liberation Front struck several important locations and changed control over parts of the north. July fighting also showed continuing pressure on Malian forces and important transit routes.

These developments are part of a wider Central Sahel crisis in which insecurity remains the leading cause of displacement.

Unchanged at No. 10. Mali remains close to the boundary, but current evidence supports retaining it.

Insurgent attacks, fighting for territory and transport routes, danger to civilians, pressure on state forces, and continuing insecurity across northern and central regions.

Insecurity disrupts travel, commerce, livelihoods, and access to essential services while contributing to continuing displacement.

Pray for civilians threatened by insurgents and abusive armed actors; for safe roads and access to food and medical care; for churches and vulnerable communities to be protected; for security forces to act justly and lawfully; and for lasting peace across Mali and the wider Sahel.