STRATEGIC STUDIES

Lecture 7
IRREGULAR WARFARE:
Insurgency, Guerrilla Warfare and
Terrorism
Irregular Warfare (IW)
Objectives

1.What is irregular warfare and what sets it apart from ordinary war.
Why is it a 'popular' means of warfare?
2.Examples of irregular warfare: insurgency warfare, guerrilla and
terrorism
3.Main pre-requisites for an insurgent movement
4.Two pronged strategy (Counter Insurgency)
5.Concept adopted by Malaysia - KESBAN
6.International terrorism - globalisation?

Source:
Colin S. Gray (2007). War, Peace and International Relations. 18 Irregular warfare: Guerrillas,
insurgents and terrorists (Chap.18) & 9/11 and the age of terror (Chap.17)
 Irregular Warfare (IW)
What is irregular warfare and what sets it apart from ordinary war?

Irregular warfare is warfare in which one or more combatants are

irregular military rather than regular forces.
Examples: Insurgency, guerrilla warfare and terrorism are a form
of irregular warfare.
IW favors indirect and asymmetric warfare approaches, though it
may employ the full range of military and other capabilities
It is inherently a protracted struggle that will test the resolve of a
state and its strategic partners.
Irregular Warfare does not require the defeat of an adversary
through primarily direct military confrontation
The term is frequently used to describe what is also called "guerrilla
warfare", "insurgency", "terrorism", "counterinsurgency", and
"counterterrorism", essentially violent conflict between a formal military and
an informal, less equipped and supported, undermanned but resilient
opponent.
Irregular Warfare (IW)
Third Geneva Convention of 1949 to the Treatment of
Prisoners of War (“GPW”)
According to The ICRC which was primarily responsible for the
drafting and successful completion of this Convention in 1949,

 Regular forces must satisfy the  “Irregular Forces" is a term in

following criteria:
1.Being commanded by a person
responsible for his subordinates
to a party of conflict
2.Having a fixed distinctive
emblem recognizable at a
distance
3.Carrying arms openly
4.Conducting operations in
accordance with the laws and
customs of war
international humanitarian law
referring to “a category of
combatants consisting of
individuals forming part of the
armed forces of a party to an
armed conflict, international or
non-international, but not
belonging to that party's regular
forces and operating in or outside
of their own territory even if the
territory is under occupation.”
 Irregular Warfare (IW)
IW favors indirect and asymmetric warfare approaches . Then,
what is asymmetric warfare?

Asymmetric warfare is a term that describes a military situation in

which two belligerents (side) of unequal strength interact and take
advantage of their respective strengths and weaknesses
Key Elements of IW:
Why is it a 'popular' means of warfare?

 It is a form of warfare that emphasizes undermining and

eroding an adversary’s power, influence, and will to exercise
control or influence over relevant population(s)

 Different focus of operations:

 Conventional warfare: Defeat of adversary’s military forces
 Irregular warfare: Erosion of an adversary’s power,
influence and will; gaining the support of the population
 Comparing Conventional & Irregular Warfare
Why is it a 'popular' means of warfare?

Conventional Warfare Irregular Warfare

Effect Desired: Effect Desired:

Influence Govt Government Influence Govt Political Authority
Fo
cu

s
cu
s

Fo
Population Military Population Military

Effect Desired:
Effect Desired: Effect Desired: Effect Desired:
Enhance or
Isolate from Conflict Defeat Military Gain or Erode Support
Render Irrelevant

Source: IW JOC Signed by SECDEF 11 September 07

 (1) Insurgency Warfare
What is insurgency ?
A popular attempt to overthrow a government through
violence
An insurgency is an armed rebellion against a constituted
authority (for example, an authority recognized as such by
the United Nations) when those taking part in the rebellion
are not recognized as belligerents (Oxford Dictionary)

Examples :
Malaysian Communist Party (MCP)
Mao Revolutionary War [China]
Cuban Revolution (1957-59)
PKK Turkey (Abdullah Ocalan) – PKK [Kusdistan Workers Party]
Algerian National Liberation Front (FLN) vs French
LTTE – Tamil Tiger in Sri Langka (28 yrs)
 Dynamics of an Insurgency
1. Leadership: Provide vision, direction, guidance, coordination, and
organization
2. Ideology: The insurgency uses ideology to offer society a goal
3. Objectives:
• Strategic - Insurgent’s desired end state
• Operational - Initiatives designed to reduce the government’s
legitimacy and support achievement of the desired end state
• Tactical - Immediate aims of insurgent acts
4. Environment and geography: Also, includes cultural, religion,
tribal affiliation, and other demographic factors. Terrain to include
factors in an urban and built-up area.
5. External support: These include (Moral, Political, Resources,
Sanctuary)
6. Phasing and timing: Passing forward and backward into different
phases of an insurgency depending on situation.
Insurgency Warfare
Main pre-requisites for an insurgent movement
to flourish:

a. Popular cause

b. Masses support

c. Safe sanctuary

d. External support
Insurgency Warfare
Main pre-requisites for an insurgent movement to flourish:

Extra :

 strength and confidence of the incumbent

government

 The size and quality of forces of both sides.

Insurgency Warfare:
Common Organizational Structure

Leadership
(Command and
Staff)

Auxiliaries
(Combat
Support)
Guerrilla
Forces
(Combat
Population Arms)
12
Insurgent relations with the populace
1. Insurgent/Guerillas depend on friendly populace for
support
 Food, shelter, morale
2. Assaults on populace by occupier often backfire
 Use of terror by Insurgent/guerilla force also tends to
backfire
3. Humanitarian efforts of Insurgent/guerilla organization
 Hezbollah
 Hamas
4. Development of political wings
 Sinn Fein
Insurgency Warfare:
Why the Population?

“We have seen how indispensable the support of the

population is to the guerrilla. It is possible for [the
guerrilla] to exist only where the people give him
their unqualified support. It is the inhabitant who
supplies the guerrilla with his food supplies …
ammunition … information … warning … [and]
refuge”

- Roger Trinquier, Modern Warfare, Ch 9, 1964

14
Examples of insurgency
warfare
1. The Malayan Communist Party (MCP) - the Communist insurgency war,
also known as the Second Malayan Emergency occurred in Malaysia from
1968 to 1989
2. ETA an acronym for Euskadi Ta Askatasuna ("Basque Country and
Freedom") is an armed Basque nationalist and separatist organization in
northern Spain and southwestern France.
3. The Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (Spanish: Movimiento
Revolucionario Túpac Amaru, abbreviated MRTA) was a Marxist
revolutionary group active in Peru from the early 1980s to 1997
4. The Kurdistan Workers' Party (Kurdish: Partiya Karkerên Kurdistan or
PKK)
5. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a separatist insurgent
organization formerly based in northern Sri Lanka
6. BRN-C, RKK, GMIP, BBMP, PULO - Southern Thailand Conflict
7. MILF, MNLF - Southern Philippines
ETA ("Basque Country and Freedom") in Madrid
Traids Bombing March 11th, 2004
 (2) Guerrilla Warfare :
Origins
 The term 'guerrilla' originates from the actions of
small bands of Spanish soldiers who fought against
Napolean's French army in the Peninsular War
(1807-1814). The word 'guerrilla' is Spanish for
"little war".

 Guerrilla warfare is essentially a political war

expanding beyond the territorial limits of
conventional warfare, to penetrate the political
entity – i.e : to support insurgency war /
revolutionary war. I.e, Mao, Giap, etc.
(2) Guerrilla
Warfare :Definitions
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare in which a
small group of combatants including, but not limited to,
armed civilians (or "irregulars") use military tactics,
such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, petty warfare, the
element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to
dominate a larger and less-mobile traditional army, or
strike a vulnerable target, and withdraw almost
immediately.

According to Che Guevara's, guerrilla warfare "used by

the side which is supported by a majority but which
possesses a much smaller number of arms for use in
defense against oppression"
(2) Guerrilla
Warfare :Leaders
Examples of great leader employed Guerilla tactics:

China, Mao Zedong and Ho Chi Minh (North

Vietnamese) both implemented guerrilla warfare in
Vietnam War (1954 – 1975) and Revolutionary War in
China (1946-49).

Che Guevara's “guerrilla warfare” inspired by Lenin

against Batista’s government in Cuba (1958) and Bolivia
(1960s)
(2) Guerrilla Warfare : Tactics
Involves smaller, irregular units fighting larger
conventional force
 Ambush tactics
 Skirmishes [small encounter]
 Use of terrain
 Avoiding direct military confrontation
 Sabotage
Sometimes work with larger, regular forces
 Ex. Vietnam
(2) Guerrilla Warfare : Tactics
 “These guerrilla operations must not be considered as
an independent form of warfare. They are but one step
in the total war, one aspect of the revolutionary
struggle.”

 According to Mao, “the peasants were the sea in which

the guerrillas needed to swim: without the constant and
active support of the peasants... failure is inevitable."
in Mao Tze Tung “On Guerrilla Warfare “
 “The enemy advances, we retreat; the enemy camps,
we harass; the enemy tires, we attack; the enemy
retreats, we pursue.”
In Mao Tse Tung “Second Revolutionary Civil War”
 2) Guerrilla Warfare : Tactics
Defensive Guerrilla Tactics: (3 rings of security system)

Guerrilla Fighter

Auxiliary Forces
(Sympathizer)

Underground Unit
(Intelligence)
 2) Guerrilla Warfare : Tactics
Defensive Guerrilla Tactics (3 rings security system)

1. Guerrilla Fighter themselves

2. Auxiliary Forces and sympathetic local, who

provide timely intelligence on enemy troops
movement …etc

3. Underground Unit : intelligence on the enemy’s

long term plans and objectives.

“The guerrilla must move amongst the people as a fish swims in the sea”
[Mao Tse-Tung (1954)“Strategic Problems in the Anti-Japanese Guerrilla War,” ]
Guerilla Warfare : Urban
Guerrilla
The rise of new wave of guerrilla warfare in urban area

1. First, the world is becoming more urban. About half of the world's
population lives in cities today; 70% will live in urban areas in 25
years.

2. Second, cities are the political and economic centers of modern

countries. Guerrilla war will move more toward the cities i.e : War in
Iraq

3. Enemy's military cannot compete against strong forces in open

terrain. In Urban terrain, for reasons described below, decrease
many forces advantages and capitalizes on army’s unwillingness to
kill non-combatants.
Guerilla Warfare : Urban
Guerrilla

URBAN GUERILLAS Main factors

1.TUPAC AMARU a)Popular causes
2.HAMAS b)Mass support
3.ISIL/ISIS ? c)Safe sanctuary
4.AS-SHABAB ? d)External Supports

e)Strength [G vs G]
(2) Guerrilla Warfare : Examples
 Battle of Den Bien Phu (1954) (General Henri
Navarre VS General Vo Nguyen Giap)
• 75,000 killed for France's Expeditionary
Force in 8 years of war
 US defeat in Vietnam (1965-1973)
• Chu Chi tunnel [200 KM)
• The Tet Offensive (1968)
 The FARC in Colombia
 PKK in Turkey – Abdullah Ocalan
(2) Guerrilla Warfare : Examples
The Vietcong tactics (National Liberation Front) in South Vietnam
during the Vietnam War (1955-1975)

They fought a guerrilla war, ambushing US patrols, setting

booby traps and landmines, and planting bombs in towns. They
mingled in with the peasants, wearing ordinary clothes. The
Americans couldn't identify who the enemy was.

They were supplied with rockets and weapons by China and

Russia. They used the Ho Chi Minh Trail - a jungle route through
Laos and Cambodia - to supply their armies. The Americans
couldn't attack their supply routes without escalating the war.

Their tactic was "hanging onto the belts" of the Americans -

staying so close to the Americans so they could not use air or
artillery backup without killing their own men.
(2) Guerrilla Warfare : Examples
The Americans' tactics
They fought a hi-tech war, using B52 bombers, artillery, helicopters, napalm
and defoliants (Agent Orange) - this killed many innocent civilians
They forced the peasants to leave Vietcong-controlled areas and made them
live in defended strategic hamlets in loyal areas. This created immense
opposition, and allowed Vietcong infiltrators into loyal areas.
American troops were sent on patrols, then supported by air and artillery when
attacked. This demoralised the soldiers, who realised they were being used just
as bait.
Search and destroy patrols went out looking for "Charlie", as they called the
Vietcong. But the patrols were very visible, and easy to ambush. This led to
atrocities such as "zippo raids" to burn villages, and the unprovoked massacre
of peaceful villagers at My Lai in 1968.
 Activities of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) by Region
Target Activity Category Turkey Northern Iraq Western Europe
Demonstrations/Protests
Riots
Kidnapping
Assassination
Sabotage
Chemical warfare
Government Post/Train/Power
Bombing Attacks
Police
Outposts
Military
Police
Armed attacks
Village Guards
Kidnapping
Assassination
Hijacking
Villages
Civilian
Touristic facilities
Bomb attacks
Commercial units
Organized Extortion
crime Drug trafficking Transit Transit Destination
Columbia: FARC is a Guerilla Group

 Motivations
• Maoist revolution
• Drug-trafficking and
international crime

• Targets
• Local villages
• Police and military bases
• Utilities
• Government officials

• Tactics
• Guerilla warfare
• Kidnapping
• Assassination
• Explosive devices
(3) Terrorism
 Terrorism (no standard acceptable definition)

“….the sub state application of violence or threatened

violence intended to sow panic in a society, to weaken or
even overthrow the incumbents, and to bring about
political change.” (Walter Laquer)

• Does not result political change

• The strategy of the weak - asymmetrical
• That the acts committed can be legitimized by their political
nature (freedom fighters or terrorists?
• Need support
(3) Terrorism
 Terrorism (no standard acceptable definition)

“….as the sustained use, or threat of use, of

violence by a small group for political purposes
such as inspiring fear, drawing widespread
attention to a political grievance and /or
provoking a draconian or unsustainable
response”.
(3) Terrorism
Indisputable elements in the definitions of the concept

1.Is characterized by violence, actual or threatened;

2.Its goal or objective is political in nature;
3.Its perpetration can cause injury and death not only
to the source of the political injustice but to innocent
persons as well (victim is not the main objective);---
i.e : Boston Marathon bombing ; 911 attack on
WTC ?
4.Its strategy is the use of violence and terror to
mobilize public opinion and thereby secure its political
goal
Major Terrorists Attacks in Europe and Turkey
 Three Hours of Terror in
Paris, Moment by Moment
By THE NEW YORK TIMES NOV. 13, 2015
Al-Shabab in Somalia (2017)
(3) Terrorism
 Tun Dr Mahathir : suggested that armed or other forms of
attacks against civilians be regarded as acts of terror and
the perpetrators as terrorists.

 "Whether the attackers are acting on their own or on the

orders of their governments, whether they are regulars or
irregulars, if the attack is against civilians, then they must
be considered as terrorists,“.

 And anyone supporting them must be considered as

terrorists. Where states are behind the acts of
terrorism, the whole government must stand
condemned,"
(3) Terrorism
What is “state sponsored terrorism”?
 “… is government support of violent non-state actors
engaged in terrorism”
 “…. terrorism practiced by a government against its own
people or in support of international terrorism”

 According to Duval & Stohl (2004), states use violence

directed at non elites or challenger whose activities are
considered threatening. It has two goals : (i) to produce
disorientation and/or compliance through immobilization of
the target of terror; (ii) to mobilize public opinion & gain
public support
(3) Terrorism
State sponsored terrorism?
Examples :
The Sinking of the Rainbow Warrior took place in NZ's Auckland Harbour
on July 10, 1985 by French
India's Research and Analysis Wing has been accused of training and
arming the Sri Lankan Tamil group, LTTE (1970s)
Irgun and Haganah (Israel)
ISI (Pakistan) in support for terror operations in South Asia
USA in the Bay of Pig Incident, Cuba (17 April 1961)
El-Salvador & Guatemala (right wing death squad) – victims around
35,000, Trotsky’s murder in 1940(Mexico) ; US sponsored terrorism?
(3) Terrorism : A Dimension

A. Domestic Terrorism
 Terrorism perpetrated by the citizens of a
country against their fellow citizens

B. International terrorism
 Terrorism in which planning and
execution of the terrorist act
transcends national boundaries
 Terrorism : a Tactics
 Assassination  Seizure
 Arson  Raids or Attacks on
 Explosive device @ Facilities
bomb  Sabotage
 Hostage Taking  Hoaxes
 Kidnapping  The Use of Special
 Hijacking or Weapon
Skyjacking  The use of
Technology
 (3) Terrorism : Tactics used, 2012

Source: Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, U.S. State Department (2013).
Country Reports on Terrorism 2012, http://www.state.gov/j/ct/rls/crt/2012/210017.htm (26/11/2013)
TACTICS EXAMPLES

Kidnapping  15 March, 1978 Italian Premier Aldo Moro was kidnapped by the Red
Brigade was found dead on May 9, 1978.
 U.S. Army General James Dozier was kidnapped in Milan by Red
Brigade terrorists on December 17, 1981. Italian counter terrorist
squads rescued him on January 28, 1982. Five Red Brigade members
were captured.

Explosive  Pan Am Flight 103

device @  911 attack?
bomb  Series of bombing attacks all over the world, notable in Iraq, Syria, etc.
by ISIS
Example :
Arson • The arson attack at a Colorado ski resort October 19, 1998, was
apparently carried out by members of the so-called Earth Liberation
Front, Destroyed a ski patrol headquarters & Caused some $12 million
in damage in burning.

Assassinatio • President Anwar al-Sadat assassination (October 6, 1981)during an

n annual military parade celebrating the "successful" campaigns during
the 1973 Egypt-Israeli war.
TACTICS EXAMPLES

Hostage  The siege of US Embassy on Nov 4, 1979, in Teheran, Iran

taking and held 52 American diplomats and Marines hostage for 444
days.
 Munich Olympic 1972 by Black September

Hijacking or  2001 World Trade Center Attack Hijackings - First time

skyjacking hijacked aircraft used as weapons
 On Friday, 14 June 1985, TWA Flight 847 left Athens for
Rome. Lebanese terrorists seized the plane and forced it to
land in Lebanon.
Seizure
Example In March1977, several Hanafi Muslim members seized three

:buildings in Washington, D.C., the District Building (City Hall),
the B'nai B'rith Building and the Islamic Center.
 They took several hostages. Several were injured (Marion
Barry shot) and one was killed.

Raids or  Tupac Amaru in Peru (bank robbery)

attacks on  Neo Nazi in Germany
facilities
TACTICS EXAMPLES

Sabotage • Eco-Terrorists have long used sabotage as a form of attack.

• Spiking trees (the process of placing a spike in a tree so
that a logger will hit it when downing the tree)
• Burning buildings under construction, such as the Vail,
Colorado attack
Hoaxes • Any terrorist group that has established credibility can employ
a hoax with considerable success. i.e Bomb threat; in a
commercial building, empty a theater, or delay an aircraft flight
at no cost to the terrorist.
Seizure • In March1977, several Hanafi Muslim members seized three
Example :
buildings in Washington, D.C., the District Building (City Hall),
the B'nai B'rith Building and the Islamic Center.
• They took several hostages. Several were injured (Marion
Barry shot) and one was killed.

Raids or • Tupac Amaru in Peru (bank robbery)

attacks on
facilities
ISIS IN SYRIA AND IRAQ
ISIS IN SYRIA AND IRAQ
NY, Washington 2001 almost
3,000 died
Palestine-Israeli Conflict – since 1969 thousands on both
sides have died
Omagh, Northern Ireland, 1998 - Carbombing kills 29
>3,000 in the conflict dead since 1969
Tokyo Subway – Sarin Nerve Gas – 3/20/05
12 died, 5,500 injured
Africa – US Embassies in Kenya and
Tanzania Carbombed – 8/7/98
331 died, > 5,000 injured
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - Murrah Federal Building
April 19, 1995, 168 Killed
14 October 2017 Mogadishu bombing (Al-Shabaab)

On 14 October 2017, a massive blast caused by a truck bombing in Mogadishu,

the capital of Somalia, killed at least 587 people and injured 316
14 May 2018 Surabaya bombing (ISIL)
COUNTER TERRORISM AND INSURGENCY WARFARE
The challenge to the way we think

How we tend to view things How the insurgent views things

Tactical Actions used for Strategic Ends

Source: (US Combined Arms Center) 57
 COUNTER TERRORISM AND
INSURGENCY WARFARE

What is Counterinsurgency?
Counterinsurgency is defined as “Those military, law
enforcement, political, economic, psychological and
civic actions taken to defeat insurgency, while
addressing the root causes” (British Army Field
Manual Definition).

Counterinsurgency is a comprehensive civilian and

military efforts taken to simultaneously defeat and contain
insurgency and address its root causes. (US Combined
Arms Center).
 COUNTER TERRORISM AND
INSURGENCY WARFARE

 Successful counterinsurgency requires a multifaceted

approach that addresses the political, economic, social,
cultural and security dimensions of the unrest.

 Multi-pronged approaches, emphasis on :

1. Military operation – use to fight insurgent
2. Civilian/Social approach (unified effort - not just
military): Development – to eradicate
3. Psychological approach :
a. Psychological operation – targeting civilian to avoid helping the enemy
b. Psychological War – targeting the enemy to weaken their will to fight
UK Approach to Counterinsurgency

Development Governance Joint Doctrine Publication (JDP) 3-40 describes the

military contribution to security and stabilisation, set
in the context of wider cross government efforts.
The military contribution is in four
COIN 1.Intervention by a Joint Force as part of a UK
coalition operation.
2.Provision of specialist military capabilities to
develop and then underpin host nation capacity.
3.Direct support to the host nation government
Security through advisors, training and mentoring teams.
4.Provision of advisors to augment existing UK
representation.

Source: British Army Field Manual Volume 1 Part 10

(Countering Insurgency)
COUNTER INSURGENCY
In Malaya (British approach):

“the shooting side of business is only 25% of

the trouble and the other 75% lies in getting
the people of this country behind us”.

Statement by Field Marshal Sir Gerald

Templer, The British High Commissioner to
Malaya during the height of the Emergency.
Britain Counterinsurgency in Mal / M’sia [1st Insurgency]

Hack, Karl (2009). The Malayan Emergency as counter-insurgency paradigm. Journal of Strategic
Studies, 32(3), pp. 383–414.
Malaysian Counterinsurgency (KESBAN)
---Security and Development---
in Timeline

Mohd Zakaria (2004). Malaysian Emergencies –Anthropological Factors in the Success of Malaysia’s Counterinsurgency
Published Master Thesis. Monterey Naval Postgraduate School..
KESBAN : Malaysian Counterinsurgency

KESBAN in Malaysia (1979-1989)

What is KESBAN ?

“the sum total of all measures undertaken by

the Malaysian armed forces and other
(government) agencies to strengthen and
protect society from subversion, lawlessness
(disorder) and insurgency”
KESBAN : Malaysian Counterinsurgency

The NSC (1969) developed this concept into what is known

as ‘Keselamatan dan Pembangunan’ (KESBAN is an
acronym for SECURITY and DEVELOPMENT in Malay),
and this concept was expanded to include strategy and
policy in the broadest senses.

KESBAN two pronged strategy in dealing with the problem:

a. Defeating the militants

b. Eliminating the root cause

KESBAN : Malaysian Counterinsurgency
1st Strategy : Defeating the militants
a)The government also instituted other security measures to meet the
MCP menace, including strict press censorship, increasing the size of the
police force, resettling squatters and relocating villages in "insecure" rural
areas. i.e : ISA & OSA [SOSMA] --- intelligence & psywar
b)Joint security cooperation with Thailand [1974-1978]
c)The Essential Regulations provided for the establishment of a
scheme called a "Rukun Tetangga", Rela (People’s Volunteer Group). ---
increase tolerant & mutual trust among society.
d)Decision to declare a state of emergency during the second insurgency ---
was a good decision.
e)The inclusion of the Senoi Praaq Regiment into the Royal Malaysian
Police – to involve in government security measures – hunting Communist
operative.
KESBAN : Malaysian Counterinsurgency
1st Strategy : Defeating the militants
f)Organized ‘Operation Kota’ along the border to block the
ingress and exit routes of the communists.
g)Emphasis on effort to defeat terrorism activities by setting
up a special unit in Police Forces (RMP) known as
Pasukan Gerakan Khas
Elite counter-terrorism and special operations tactical unit of the Royal
Malaysian Police
Was originally 2 separate units (Unit Tindakan Khas and Very Able
Troopers 69) but were merged together in 1997
Notable situation: AIA hostage incident  All hostages were rescued and
all kidnappers were flown up to Libya
Also aided Singapore by bringing about the recapture of JI member Mas
Selamat one year after his escape
KESBAN : Malaysian Counterinsurgency
2nd Strategy : Eliminating the root cause
a)The establishment of coordinated bodies from the village, district, and
state to the federal levels. All the relevant agencies were represented and this
enabled problems to be discussed and resolved through joint consultation.
b)The Malayan government made efforts to win the support of the Orang
Asli by establishing an Orang Asli Affairs Department (JHOA) and the Senoi
Praaq regiment
c)The implementation of massive development programs and
infrastructure in the form of highways, schools, hospitals, and dams or
hydroelectric plants and public utilities like electricity and water supply and,
establishment of public university, i.e. UUM.
d)Rural area development through the establishment and upgrading of
agricultural productivity schemes. i.e FELDA, FELCRA, and RISDA
e)Introduced policy to correct economic imbalance, i.e: New Economic
Policy (DEB).
KESBAN : Malaysian Counterinsurgency
2nd Strategy : Eliminating the root cause

f)Prudent economic policy [1970-1990] – contributed in

making Malaysia one of the fastest developing nations in
Asia [8% growth]
Malaysian Counterinsurgency: KESBAN

“The terrorists must be hunted and

brought to justice, but the causes of
their committing the acts of terror
must also be removed. Even
terrorists would not want to sacrifice
their lives for nothing,"

Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, Ex-

Prime Minister of Malaysia said
when opening a conference on
terrorism organised by ISIS.
COUNTER TERRORISM AND
INSURGENCY WARFARE

Insurgency can be eliminated if the root cause of it were

eliminated

What is the root cause?

POVERTY – provide fertile

environment for insurgency to
flourish.
Conclusion
 An irregular warfare is a warfare characterised by a
power asymmetry between belligerent groups in the
name of the insurgent, guerrilla or terrorist group and
the government
 The weaker of these groups constitutes the
‘insurgent’ party, guerrilla or terrorist
 while the stronger is the government.

 Government efforts to combat the threat of

irregular warfare are popularly understood as
‘counter-terrorism’ and ‘counter-insurgency’