1920s

  • Russian Civil War (1917–1923): Between the Bolshevik Red Army and the anti-communist White Army, following the Russian Revolution.
  • Chinese Civil War (1927–1949): Between the Kuomintang (Nationalists) and the Chinese Communist Party.

1930s

  • Spanish Civil War (1936–1939): Nationalist forces, led by Franco, fought against Republicans; resulted in a Nationalist victory and Francoist dictatorship.

1940s

  • Greek Civil War (1946–1949): Between communist insurgents and the Greek government, supported by Western allies.
  • Partition of India (1947): While not a formal civil war, the partition led to massive communal violence between Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs.

1950s

  • Malayan Emergency (1948–1960): Communist insurgency against British colonial and later Malaysian government forces.
  • Kenyan Mau Mau Uprising (1952–1960): Revolt against British colonial rule in Kenya.

1960s

  • Vietnam War (1955–1975): Often classified as a civil war between North and South Vietnam, with significant international involvement.
  • Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970): Also known as the Biafran War; conflict over Biafra's attempted secession from Nigeria.
  • Dominican Civil War (1965): Between pro- and anti-Trujillo factions, eventually leading to U.S. intervention.

1970s

  • Cambodian Civil War (1967–1975): Between the Khmer Rouge and government forces, leading to the establishment of the Khmer Rouge regime.
  • Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990): Involving multiple factions and sectarian groups, exacerbated by external interventions.
  • Angolan Civil War (1975–2002): Conflict between MPLA, UNITA, and FNLA, with Cold War superpower involvement.

1980s

  • El Salvador Civil War (1979–1992): Between the military-led government and leftist insurgents.
  • Peruvian Civil War (1980–2000): Conflict involving the Shining Path insurgency.
  • Sri Lankan Civil War (1983–2009): Between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers, seeking an independent Tamil state.

1990s

  • Somali Civil War (1991–present): Ongoing conflict after the collapse of the Siad Barre regime.
  • Bosnian War (1992–1995): A civil war and ethnic conflict after the breakup of Yugoslavia.
  • Rwandan Genocide and Civil War (1990–1994): Between the Hutu-led government and Tutsi rebels of the Rwandan Patriotic Front.
  • Algerian Civil War (1991–2002): Between the government and Islamist rebel groups.

2000s

  • Iraqi Civil War (2006–2008): Sectarian conflict following the U.S. invasion of Iraq.
  • Darfur Conflict (2003–present): Between the Sudanese government and rebel groups in Sudan's Darfur region.
  • Nepalese Civil War (1996–2006): Between Maoist insurgents and the monarchy.

2010s to Present

  • Syrian Civil War (2011–present): Ongoing conflict between the Assad regime, rebel groups, and ISIS, with extensive international involvement.
  • Libyan Civil Wars (2011 and 2014–2020): After Gaddafi's overthrow, rival factions and militias have vied for control.
  • Yemeni Civil War (2014–present): Between the Houthi rebels and the internationally recognized government.
  • South Sudan Civil War (2013–2018): Conflict between factions in the world's newest country, South Sudan.
  • Ethiopian Tigray War (2020–2022): Between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).

Key Takeaways

  1. Civil wars often arise from ethnic, religious, or political divisions exacerbated by weak governance or external interference.
  2. Many of these conflicts have had devastating humanitarian consequences, including mass displacement, famine, and war crimes.
  3. International involvement has often prolonged or escalated these conflicts.

    *This list is not exhaustive, as many other conflicts have occurred with varying degrees of intensity and international recognition.