Internal Fractures and External Influence: Sectarianism, Non-State Actors, and the Geopolitics of MENA Conflicts

Abstract

The study aimed to understand the role of sectarianism and non-state actors—such as militias, parties, and armed groups—in creating internal divisions and civil wars, facilitating foreign intervention, and transforming these issues into external proxy wars in the Middle East and North Africa region. The descriptive-analytical and historical methods were used to describe, analyze, and explain past phenomena and events. The study concluded with several results, most notably that sectarianism has significantly destabilized the region. It was used as a tool for political power, through which regional conflicts were transformed from religious conflicts into geopolitical ones that diminished the effectiveness of the national state. The study also concluded that non-state actors filled governance vacuums in regional countries and became decisive players in regional disputes; they replaced weak states by providing security and basic services to local populations, which boosted their legitimacy and weakened central governments. The study's primary recommendations include the necessity of building strong states that prioritize citizenship over sectarian identity and the need to provide public services to all citizens regardless of their affiliations. It also recommended exercising international pressure and imposing sanctions on funding networks that support militias, terrorist groups, and non-state actors to paralyze their financial and military capabilities. Furthermore, the study recommended the need to curb sectarian and hate speech and to transition from authoritarian regimes to democratic systems that ensure equal representation for all segments of society.