Urban Drivers of Political Violence: Declining State Authority and Armed Groups in Mogadishu, Nairobi, Kabul and Karachi

Based on field research, this report identifies urban drivers of political violence in four cities located in fragile states – Mogadishu, Nairobi, Kabul and Karachi – and highlights the specific policy challenges in these cities, which require tailored responses against a background of rapid urban population growth.

The paper finds that the decline in state authority in cities near conflict areas, along with the attractiveness of those cities to non-state armed groups, has been a major driver of political violence.