Terrorism has become a major issue in the modern world, with violence or the threat of violence being used systematically to achieve religious or political goals, often targeting innocent people. Meanwhile, insurgency is causing problems for many nations. Despite their similarities, there are differences between terrorism and insurgency that this article will explore.
Terrorism can be understood as a philosophy that uses terror as a tool to achieve ideological goals. Governments or authorities often label these individuals as terrorists and perpetrators of crimes against humanity, while organizations that recruit them may call them jihadis or warriors. Terrorism involves deliberately targeting civilians who cannot defend themselves, in order to create fear and send a message to authorities.
On the other hand, insurgency refers to people and groups in societies who feel aggrieved by policies and programs of those in power, and who stage rebellions in an attempt to achieve freedom. Insurgency is typically carried out by people who are not recognized as belligerents and has a political motive, with the aim of achieving freedom from the rule of the current government. Insurgency is generally considered an internal problem of a sovereign state, and the international community does not interfere in the matter.
Key Takeaways
- Insurgency is a rebellion against authority in place and is mostly localized, whereas terrorism knows no boundaries.
- While there is no universally accepted definition of terrorism, it generally involves using violence to create terror in the minds of innocent civilians, while insurgency is an armed rebellion or uprising aiming to uproot the government in place.
- Sometimes terrorism and insurgencies are inseparable, but not all insurgencies use terrorism as a method to uproot the authority.
