The Bombing of Hospitals and Rebel Responses in Civil War. Evidence from Syria

Regine Schwab, Werner Krause, Samer Massoud, Research Department Intrastate Conflict, Peace Research Institute Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, University of Potsdam, Independent Researcher

Journal of Conflict Resolution

Published online on December 26, 2025

Abstract

Journal of Conflict Resolution, Volume 70, Issue 7-8, Page 1354-1382, August-September 2026.
Does targeting civilians suppress or intensify insurgent violence? Existing research presents contradictory findings, focusing primarily on direct civilian targeting. We examine how government attacks on civilian infrastructure – specifically medical ...