Territorial Control and the Militarization of Violent Non-State Actors: Transformation, Opportunities, and Vulnerabilities

This article examines the paradox of territorial control among revolutionary violent non-state actors, that view territorial gains as a means to advance their agenda rather than an end goal. While territorial control can provide safe havens, operational advantages, and legitimacy, it exposes them to countermeasures, governance burdens, and compromises. This study investigates the conditions under which territorial control emboldens revolutionary VNSAs to attack state actors and pursue their goals, and when it undermines their objectives, by comparing ISIS, Hezbollah, Hamas, and HTS. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of insurgent strategy and the trade-offs of territorial control.