Number of conflicts doubles since 2001

The number of civil conflicts worldwide has more than doubled since the start of the century, posing new challenges for curbing atrocities, the International Committee of the Red Cross said yesterday.

In a new report, the ICRC also noted "more armed groups have emerged in the last six years than in the previous 60," meaning that persuading fighters to adhere to basic humanitarian principles has become increasingly complex.

The ICRC is the primary organisation responsible for protecting the Geneva Conventions -- essentially the laws of war.

Its report, entitled the Roots of Restraint in War, noted that historically the ICRC was largely focused on working with national militaries and well-structured rebel groups to enshrine international humanitarian law in their codes of conduct.

But the report said that approach needs to be updated to respond to the changing nature of those now fighting.

Between 2001 to 2016, the number of "non-international armed conflicts" jumped from 30 to more than 70, the ICRC said.

The number of groups fighting in any given conflict has also changed substantially.