Research
Civilian-armed group relations
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Re-thinking armed group control
Prevailing understandings of control – which focus on territorial dividing lines and violent incident monitoring – miss important indicators of armed group control. We argue that armed group control should instead be broken down according to the ways in which armed groups seek to influence populations.
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Rebel Rule of Law
Seizing on widespread dissatisfaction with formal justice in Afghanistan, Taliban courts quickly settled disputes that state and customary mechanisms could not. Justice provision also enabled the Taliban to infiltrate new areas, soften the ground for future operations and enforce a strict set of rules on the civilian population.
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Taliban narratives on Al Qaeda
Much has been written about the Taliban’s links to Al Qaeda since 2001, but there is little consensus. Based on more than 100 interviews with insurgent commanders and others, this report examines the Taliban’s strategic calculus for maintaining their links to Al Qaeda.
Armed group economies
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Rebel Rule of Law
Seizing on widespread dissatisfaction with formal justice in Afghanistan, Taliban courts quickly settled disputes that state and customary mechanisms could not. Justice provision also enabled the Taliban to infiltrate new areas, soften the ground for future operations and enforce a strict set of rules on the civilian population.
-
Taliban narratives on Al Qaeda
Much has been written about the Taliban’s links to Al Qaeda since 2001, but there is little consensus. Based on more than 100 interviews with insurgent commanders and others, this report examines the Taliban’s strategic calculus for maintaining their links to Al Qaeda.
-
Re-thinking armed group control
Prevailing understandings of control – which focus on territorial dividing lines and violent incident monitoring – miss important indicators of armed group control. We argue that armed group control should instead be broken down according to the ways in which armed groups seek to influence populations.