Rifts within Radical Terrain: Examining and Leveraging Mutual Extremist Conflicts, specifically Jihadist Factions at Odds
In the complex landscape of global jihadism, internal conflicts and fratricide among jihadist groups have emerged as a significant and growing threat. Over the past few years, these conflicts have claimed the lives of thousands of jihadists, with approximately eight thousand falling victim to fratricide between 2014 and 2019. This number is likely a conservative estimate and has risen since.
The Taliban, who took over Afghanistan in August 2021, have prioritized ending the presence of the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) in Afghanistan. The Taliban have intensified their crackdown on ISKP through the deployment of special operations forces and regular night raids. Similarly, the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWAP) and Boko Haram, two prominent militant groups in West Africa, have reportedly been killed by their own followers due to internal divisions and defections. Their leaders were killed in May 2021 and August 2021, respectively.
This internal conflict within jihadist groups, which began in 2014, has set a precedent that may affect intra-jihadist relations in the future. Dr. Tore Refslund Hamming, author of the forthcoming book "Jihadi Politics: The Global Jihadi Civil War, 2014-2019" (Hurst/OUP) and Director of Refslund Analytics and a Senior Fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation, King's College London, highlights the impact of these conflicts on the future of jihadism.
Jihadists have authored a powerful literary corpus enabling and legitimizing internal violence that may drive volatile relations for future generations of militants. State actors could potentially provoke group fractionalization through political engagement, which hardliners in the group are unlikely to tolerate. Alternatively, they could provide direct support for one actor against a common enemy, such as assisting the Taliban to defeat ISKP.
The expansion and division of jihadist groups can be traced back over a decade ago. The Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra split in February 2014, inaugurating the jihadist civil war in Syria. Since then, jihadist groups have targeted one another in various countries, including Afghanistan, Somalia, Libya, Nigeria, Egypt, Yemen, and the Sahel.
It is important to note that the views expressed in this article do not reflect the official position of the United States Military Academy, Department of the Army, or Department of Defense. However, the ongoing internal conflicts among jihadist groups pose a significant challenge to regional stability and security, and understanding these conflicts is crucial for developing effective counter-terrorism strategies.
