Securing support, avoiding harm? Civilian support, community organization, and rebel landmine use in Colombia
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: How do armed groups manage the trade-off between securing and accessing support from civilian populations and minimizing the risk of exposing them to violence? While rebels often depend on local communities, their proximity exposes civilians to significant risks. This article addresses this dilemma by examining the use of landmines by Colombian guerrilla groups. Although landmines are expected to offer an effective and low-cost means to offset asymmetries in civil wars, their indiscriminate nature threatens the very communities on which rebels rely. I argue that while rebels are more likely to lay minefields where they enjoy greater local support, they should also attempt to reduce risks to civilians in these areas, especially when faced with stronger resistance from local communities. Using cross-sectional, subnational data from Colombia's national mine action program, I show that guerrilla groups indeed laid more landmines in more supportive municipalities. However, while such support does not appear to correlate with restraint in landmine use, higher levels of community organization are associated with minefields being laid further from populated areas and with fewer civilian mine accidents. The findings contribute to research on civilian victimization, rebel governance, and restraint in wartime violence, with implications for mine clearance and civilian protection.
Source: Journal of Peace Research
Author: Henrique Garbino
Institution: Swedish Defence University
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,900
OpenAlex ID: W7215104287