How are civil wars different from riots and terrorist violence?

A civil war is defined as a violent conflict between a state and one or more organized non-state actors operating within the state's territory.1

The primary distinctions between civil wars and other forms of violence include:

• State Involvement: Unlike riots or intercommunal conflicts, which may not involve the state as a primary combatant, a civil war necessitates a direct confrontation between the state and organized groups.1
• Organization and Cohesion: Civil wars involve organized non-state actors, whereas state repression against unorganized individuals or groups is generally categorized differently.1
• Nature of Violence: Terrorism and violent crime are distinct from civil war, as they are typically characterized by different tactics and lack the sustained, large-scale territorial or governmental control often associated with civil war insurgencies.12

While civil wars are internal, they are distinguished from international conflicts by the nature of the combatants and the legal frameworks—such as the Geneva Conventions—that apply to the hostilities.2