The Impact of Insurgent Groups on Human Security in the Middle East: 2010-2020

Abstract

This study focused on the impact of insurgent groups on human security in the Middle East region for the period 2010 to 2020. Objectives of this study included: examining the place of insurgent groups in the Middle East regional relations since 2010, finding out the impact of insurgent groups on human security in the Middle East since 2010 and comparing the impact of insurgent groups on human securities between Syria and Yemen in the period 2010 to 2020. The study was anchored on the rational choice theory. Descriptive survey research design was employed in this study and both primary and secondary data used. The target population of the study included people in the civil service, media and civil societies in Syria and Yemen who had worked in the country in the period 2010 to 2020. Data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis. Findings of the study established that insurgent groups have played a great role in defining economic, political and security regional relations in the Middle East over the past one decade. Through their activities, the groups have intensified religious relations amongst the countries but have consequently adversely affected political relations and economic relations in the region. Findings of the study further established that insurgent groups had led to an increase in human insecurity in the Middle East region since 2010. By orchestrating civil wars and taking part in conflicts with other groups in the region, insurgent groups have increased economic insecurities, personal insecurities, political insecurities, food insecurities, health insecurities and environmental insecurities. The impact of insurgent groups on human security in Syria and Yemen did not vary widely as established in the research study. Though few differences were seen in the magnitude of the impact on personal security as judged by the number of people displaced and those whose lives has been lost, many similarities have been identified in the motivations of the insurgent groups, strategies employed, nature of operations and the counterinsurgency measures employed by governments. The researcher concluded that insurgent groups have greatly defined regional relations in the Middle East and hold an important place in as far as the history of the region is concerned over the past decade. The insurgent groups through violence, destruction of property and strategic influences have continued to adversely affect livelihood in the region; displacing many people, resulting to the loss of lives, destroying millions worth of property and curtailing economic development in the region. The researcher has presented recommendations and suggestions for further studies which are included in this research paper.