Hydro‐Insurgency: Weaponization of Water Resources and Infrastructure in Northeast Syria

ABSTRACT This article examines the strategic weaponization of water resources by Turkey‐backed armed groups in Northeast Syria (NES) within the broader context of the Syrian civil war. As the conflict evolved, water infrastructure—dams, rivers, and irrigation systems—became central to warfare, governance, and foreign agendas. The article introduces the concept of hydro‐insurgency to analyze how rebel groups such as SNA allied with Turkey weaponize and manipulate water access to assert control, gain legitimacy, and support Ankara's geopolitical ambitions, particularly by creating a “Safe Zone” along its border. Drawing on Marwa Daoudy's water weaponization typology, the study explores how hydro‐insurgent groups use water as a military tool in NES and to reshape territorial governance. The article argues that controlling water is vital to Turkey's strategy of diminishing Kurdish influence and extending its hybrid governance model. The case of NES demonstrates how water resources are co‐opted by proxies to influence post‐conflict political orders. The study asks: Under what conditions do Hydro‐Insurgent Groups (HIGs) weaponize water?