Water-related violence rises globally in past decade

Water shortages and extreme weather contribute to tension in Middle East and India

Violence associated with water has surged in the past decade driven by attacks on civilian water systems in Syria's civil war and increasing disputes over supplies in India, according to a comprehensive database of conflicts linked to the vital resource.

Recorded incidents of water-related violence have more than doubled in the past 10 years compared with previous decades, the statistics maintained by the California-based Pacific Institute thinktank show.