This report details the modus operandi and the evolution of violent extremist groups over time. It examines how these groups have increased their influence as ideological affiliates of global terrorist organizations such as ISIL and Al-Qaeda and penetrated new areas by exploiting localized grievances, positioning themselves as alternative service providers to the formal state.

The study is part of a complementary report series examining underlying drivers of violent extremism, from the tipping points that lead to recruitment to the spill-over impacts of extremism in border areas to the evolution, modus operandi, and business models of violent extremist groups. They shed new light on the phenomenon of violent extremism and offer new programmatic and policy responses to address it.