Violence in Civil War: Understanding Insurgencies and Civilian Casualties

Abstract

Civilian deaths during times of war is usually seen as a horrific tragedy that armed forces should take care to avoid. Insurgent groups like ISIL have terrorized the local population with deadly attacks that often end in civilian casualties. Although insurgents heavily rely on the population for their survival that does not prevent violent attacks on the civilians. Why do insurgent groups kill civilians? This thesis will explore different possibilities that may influence the use of violence against civilians. It will look at the way the insurgent group governs the population, their organizational structures, and competition for resources, ideology, and the government structure of the federal government.