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2026: A Rise in Conflict and Chaos

Robert Young Pelton outlines today’s global danger zones using data and firsthand experience.

1. Ukraine
Russia’s war has become drone-driven attrition. Civilian areas are routinely targeted. Estimates suggest roughly 250,000 Russian troops killed last year and 50,000–150,000 Ukrainian deaths. Safe zones for journalists and NGOs are few.

2. Gaza
An entrenched war in a densely populated strip marked by widespread destruction and heavy civilian casualties, estimated between 35,000 and 50,000. Over 200 journalists and aid workers have reportedly been killed.

3. Sudan
Government forces battle the UAE-backed Rapid Support Forces. Fighting has triggered mass displacement, massacres, and resource-driven violence, particularly in gold regions. Civilian tolls remain severe but uncertain.

4. Myanmar
A long insurgency pits the military junta against ethnic minorities. Jungle warfare, air strikes, and destroyed villages define the conflict. Media access is possible but harsh and unsupported.

5. Nigeria
Boko Haram and other armed groups raid villages and clash with militias and the army. Kidnapping, taxation, and extortion fund operations across a vast, loosely governed region.

6. Somalia
Clan-based regions contend with ISIS and Al-Qaeda factions. Foreign military involvement and internal rivalries deepen instability.

7. The Sahel
This desert corridor hosts insurgencies tied to gold mining and organized extortion. Westerners face kidnapping risks.

8. Mexico
Despite its tourism appeal, cartel violence persists. Tourists face lower risk, but journalists and NGOs who confront cartels take significant personal risks.

9. Syria
Still divided among Kurdish forces, ISIS remnants, and regime areas, Syria remains volatile. Thousands of ISIS fighters persist, and periodic strikes signal ongoing instability.

10. Yemen
A complex proxy war involving Houthi forces, Saudi- and UAE-backed groups, and Al-Qaeda factions. Kidnapping tactics have grown more brutal.

Honorable Mentions
Haiti: Gang-dominated collapse in the capital.
Democratic Republic of Congo: Dozens of militias exploit natural resources amid chronic insta

Robert Young Pelton is a Canadian-American author, journalist, filmmaker, and adventurer known for his conflict reporting and for venturing alone into some of the world's most dangerous and remote areas to chronicle history-shaping events. His work often involves interviewing military and political figures in war zones and spending time embedded with various groups, including the Taliban, Northern Alliance, CIA operatives, al Qaeda, and Blackwater .

He has been present at numerous conflicts, from Ukraine to the the Battle of Grozny and from Qali Jangi in Afghanistan to the rebel siege of Monrovia in Liberia.

Pelton is the author of several books, most notably the New York Times bestselling guide, "The World's Most Dangerous Places," which provides information for navigating high-risk zones. He has also written "Come Back Alive," a survival guide, and his autobiography, "The Adventurist: My Life in Dangerous Places". His work includes feature stories for National Geographic, Men’s Journal, Foreign Policy and Vice. He has worked as a contributing editor for National Geographic Adventure and has worked for major media networks like Discovery Channel, National Geographic Channel, CBS's 60 Minutes, ABC Investigative Division, and CNN.

Pelton is also the founder of DPx Gear, a company that designs rugged survival tools and knives based on his field experiences.