About

The OCT Desk is an independent public draft that summarises active armed conflicts using openly available reporting.

It is not an official dataset, not a government product, and not a substitute for ACLED, UCDP, UN agencies, or professional military analysis.

Method

Track a small set of high-impact conflicts first.
Use multiple open sources before updating status text.
Label intensity simply: high / medium.
Keep language neutral. Do not present speculation as fact.
Show sources on each page.

Typical source classes

UN OCHA / UNHCR humanitarian updates
ACLED public dashboards and notes
Reuters, AFP, AP, BBC and other wire reporting
International Crisis Group and similar briefings
Institute for the Study of War maps/assessments where relevant

Casualty figures and territorial control claims vary widely by source. Treat them as contested.