guerrillas

Guerrillas are fighters who use irregular, small-unit tactics to oppose a larger, conventional armed force or a government. They typically operate in mobile groups that blend with civilian populations, rely on clandestine support networks, and avoid fixed frontlines. Guerrilla warfare emphasizes tempo, surprise, and terrain, aiming to attrit the opponent and win political legitimacy rather than force a single decisive battle.

Common tactics include ambushes, raids, hit-and-run attacks, sabotage of infrastructure, harassment of supply lines, and information warfare. Isolation from the population is a key vulnerability for conventional forces, while guerrillas depend on local knowledge, safe havens, and sympathetic communities. Organization tends to be decentralized, with small cells and flexible command structures that complicate reconnaissance and suppression.

Historically, guerrilla warfare has appeared in many conflicts. The Spanish guerrilla bands during the Peninsular War fought against Napoleon’s army; in the 20th century, movements such as the Viet Minh and Viet Cong in Vietnam, the Afghan mujahideen, and Latin American groups such as FARC and ELN used guerrilla methods. The concept is associated with theorists such as Mao Zedong and Che Guevara, who argued that political mobilization and control of rural terrain could offset superior conventional firepower.

In international law, combatants who participate in organized armed struggle may be treated as lawful combatants under certain conditions; those who do not wear uniforms or who blend with civilians raise complex legal and humanitarian questions. Today, guerrilla activity remains a feature of many insurgencies and civil conflicts around the world.