An insurgency group is an organized opposition to a constituted government. It employs guerrilla tactics and subversion in a protracted campaign to wear down the resolve of its opponent and the people. Insurgents seek to bring down the established authority and replace it with a more enlightened one.
Usually, insurgency groups are not supported by the popular population; they draw their support from an elite or privileged segment of society. They often rely on religious or ideological appeals to mobilize this support, or they use fear and economic discontent to bolster their popularity. Insurgents may also sway populations by appealing to their sense of justice and fairness, such as by claiming that a corrupt government is oppressing the poor or that the state is stealing their land.
Insurgency groups typically involve violence, but they can also include nonviolent elements. They may conduct terrorist attacks against civilians, government targets, and foreign contractors and aid workers. They can also intimidate and target nongovernmental organizations and obstruct economic development.
Insurgency groups often have an unclear identity and agenda, and they are vulnerable to shifting alliances. They can be multipolar, as the original Harakat al-Shabab al-Mujahidin (AJ) did in Somalia from 1998 to 2006, when it became split into regional sub-clan militias and shifted its allegiance to different leaders and the global jihad. This multipolarity and infighting can weaken the insurgent’s ability to exercise de facto control over territory, as well as their capacity to deliver basic services.