Militias or Partners? Local, Hybrid and Sub-State Forces in Afghanistan and Iraq

Community or regional forces, militias, and other forms of sub-state or local security actors have long existed in Afghanistan and Iraq, and continue to proliferate. In recent years, local, hybrid and sub-state forces (LHSFs, as we refer to them) have often proved to be a critical stopgap against anti-government forces in both countries. But how do these security gains balance against other potential side effects for governance, rule of law, or civilian protection? How do repeated cycles of militarizing local spaces affect local community dynamics and prospects for a sustainable peace? This three-year project, which closed in October 2019, tackled these issues by mapping and assessing the impact of LHSFs in Afghanistan and Iraq. It also explored some thematic or comparative issues across both countries as well as in Syria, shared below. A summary of key issues is available for download.