The False Promise of Foreign Fighters: The Effect of Somali Foreign Fighters on Civilian Victimization

Abstract

Why is there intra-rebel group variation in the amount of civilian victimization perpetrated during civil war? I focus on the connection between intra-rebel group distribution of foreign fighters and civilian victimization. I argue that cells within a rebel group that include more foreign fighters are going to be more likely to commit violence on civilians than cells that do not include foreign fighters. In order to make my argument, a most similar system qualitative design is implemented. Primary literature along with news sources gathered from NEXIS database are used to analyze three internal groups within al-Shabaab (2006 - present) during the Somali Civil War (1991-present); Jaysh al-Hisbah, The Amniyat, and Jaysh Ayman.