@article{ref1,
title="Militants in retreat: how terrorists behave when they are losing",
journal="Studies in conflict and terrorism",
year="2023",
author="Dixon, Matthew",
volume="46",
number="2",
pages="137-161",
abstract="It is often stated that militant groups rely on terrorism following setbacks, but this article is the first test this idea empirically. A statistical study of 56 losing terrorist groups shows that, as they are defeated, a greater proportion of operational activity is directed against softer targets. I argue the shift is caused by a change in strategy to focus on mobilizing support, which creates a greater perceived utility for operations against civilians. Case studies of militant groups in Chechnya and Argentina show how the change in strategy interacts with other constraints to induce a greater focus on softer targets.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1057-610X",
doi="10.1080/1057610X.2020.1751460",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1057610X.2020.1751460"
}