Levels of combatant control and the patterns of non-incumbent/insurgent violence experienced by civilians living in Sunni–Arab communities in Iraq (2004–2009)

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis study explores how one social-structural variable, control over Sunni–Arab communities during the Iraq civil war, affected the types of violence used by insurgent/non-government actors that killed and injured civilians in these communities from January 2004 to December 2009. The study classifies three levels of control: (1) incumbent (government-supported) control, (2) insurgent control and (3) actively contested control. It uses Iraq Body Count (IBC) fatality data to characterize two general types of violence (selective and indiscriminate) evident during the Iraq conflict. It demonstrates that the type of violence committed by non-government actors was significantly (P > .01) different as related to the level of control insurgents had over territory. Primarily, insurgents/non-governmental actors used more selective forms of violence when insurgents controlled territory and more indiscriminate violence when incumbent (government-supported) forces controlled territory. Also, acts of indiscriminate violence cause considerably more injuries and death per act as compared to selective violence. Importantly, if control over territory has broadly generalizable effects on the types of violence that civilian’s experience during civil war, than understanding this relationship could be useful when determining the types of medical assistance, medical supplies and training most needed in combat zones.