Resumen de The Impact of Jihadism on the Energy Sector
The dependence of modern societies on energy resources derived from hydrocarbons, has made the energy sector one of the priority objectives of the international terrorist organizations. This is particularly true as concerning the Salafist Jihadism whose two main exponents are Al Qaeda and, more recently, the so-called Islamic State or Daesh.
In this document, the ability and the intention of terrorist groups to convert the energy sector in a preferred target of Jihadist action, will be analyzed, focusing on three key areas.
On the one hand, the ideological foundation and strategic reasoning that drives terrorist groups to act against the energy sector. Moreover, the relationship between the political intention of these terrorist groups and their real capabilities to either significantly cripple this sector in the producing or destination states, or to control it in those areas where they have managed to impose their law. And finally, the main factors either discretional or limiting, that make it difficult or impossible for these groups to launch and maintain in the long term a consistent and sustained campaign against the energy sector.
To achieve this we will focus on two different scenarios, represented by Syria and Iraq on the one hand and by Libya on the other, where Jihadist groups whose main manifestations are Al Qaeda and Daesh, hold very different strategies. The objective is, therefore, to study the ability of both groups to intervene within the energy sector through offensive actions aimed at the destruction of facilities, or at the simple occupation of them, so that we can then analyze the impact on energy markets and the possibilities for them to achieve their strategic objectives
