External forces cannot by themselves compel a State to end a civil strife: at some point, domestic actors need to be able to work together to find a way out of the conflict.

There are many reasons why people choose to escalate a conflict, but most often it is a tactic to achieve a certain objective. For example, to ensure a victory or avoid losing, to force a settlement or remain a relevant force, to gain support from patrons or expand one’s status, to seize a strategic advantage or just to punish the adversary and take revenge... Read more