TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2023//
TI  - Militants in retreat: how terrorists behave when they are losing
JO  - Studies in conflict and terrorism
A1  - Dixon, Matthew
SP  - 137
EP  - 161
VL  - 46
IS  - 2
N2  - 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>
LA  - en
SN  - 1057-610X
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1057610X.2020.1751460
ID  - ref1
ER  -