Insurgency Success Factors and Rebel Legitimacy
government effectively reduces any claims made by rebels after 2002, that their objectives
included protecting civilians.
In fact, after 2002 rebel tactics increasingly shifted to acts of terrorism and jihad, over
guerilla warfare and open altercations with Russia255. While these acts largely targeted Russian
police, government, and military, civilian casualties were often produced in such attacks 256. From
2000 to 2005, high-profile terrorist attacks committed by Chechen rebels produced roughly 777
civilian casualties from seven attacks, mostly by suicide bombs 257. Comparatively, from 1994-
1999 Chechen rebels committed only three high-profile terrorist attacks, implemented as hostage
taking, that produced about 459 civilian casualties258. Rebellion rhetoric shifted from protecting
civilians, to eliminating foreign influence and establishing a jihadi state. Rebel leaders began to
utilize violence and intimidation in limited areas of control to make civilians adhere to sharia law
and rebel objectives 259. The determinant shift away from civilian protection in rhetoric, action,
and objection drastically contributed to reductions in rebel legitimacy amongst civilians after
2002. Recent media interviews with civilians indicate the presence of anti-extremist attitudes in
local populations 260.
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