Insurgency

Insurgency is the process by which an armed and organized group fights an established authority using force for political reasons. The established authority is in almost all cases a government or a foreign power, and fighting has historically occurred within the confines of one country. Aided by the technologies of globalization (improved transportation and communication), transnational insurgencies have been able to contest established authority in more than one country at the same time. The insurgent group may be a political or ethnic party, the personal militia of an individual, or a self-designated rebel/terrorist group. Insurgents principally rely on irregular warfare (hit-and-run attacks) and usually avoid overtly controlling territory, as this makes them an easier target for the established authority’s military forces.