Results of Infighting among Factions

The universal curse of infighting among non-state factions in very oversimplified terms usually leads to two results. One possible result is that it weakens the factions to the point that the government is able to crush the opposition. A 2nd possible result of infighting is that it continues violence even after the fall of the government in power. One case of infighting weakening factions is that in the Spanish Civil War. In the Spanish Civil War, in the Republican side, friction among communist and anarchist factions within the Republicans lead to violent inter-factional fighting. The Republican infighting allowed the Nationalists to defeat the Republicans. One case of the 2nd result is in Afghanistan. Although inter-factional fighting among Mujahedin was always present in its insurgency against the Soviet friendly government, the inter factional fighting escalated dramatically when the communist government fell. So after several years of radical alliance shifting and backstabbing among Mujahdeen factions and former pro government militias, the Tailban eventually took power. A lose coalition of mujahdeen and ex Marxist militias (especially Dostum) called the Northern Alliance formed against the Taliban. This is were the American intervention picks up. However, classifying infighting is not as black and white as I make it sounds. Sometimes information on infighting is almost non-existent like in Chechnya, other times like in Sudan were elements of both results took place.