An insurgency group is a loosely defined collection of people who share a common cause and a set of beliefs that unifies them. They are organized into units and they conduct operations to achieve their goals. These groups use different methods to get funding, equipment and support from the outside world but they have a unifying ideology that is based on the need for change.
The insurgents’ purpose is to destroy the existing government and create a new revolutionary government that is acceptable to the people. To accomplish this, they must win the loyalty of the population. They do this by fostering the idea that the government is evil and by providing a compelling alternative to it. They use propaganda to discredit the government, rumors that inflame existing or exacerbating social conflict between class, ethnic and religious groups, political intrigue and manipulation, economic disruption and dislocation, and any other means available to achieve their objectives.
Insurgency groups are financed by stealing money from their government or from donors and private individuals and groups in other countries. They are often equipped with weapons acquired from the Soviet Union and Libya through the proxy system, or by smuggling them. The insurgents may also have access to a variety of other military supplies such as ammunition, radios, man-portable surface-to-air missiles and other sophisticated weaponry. The insurgents are often highly motivated by a fervent belief that the current government is evil and must be replaced. They are often not willing to negotiate with the recognized government and may use hostage-taking as a tactic to achieve this goal.