ABSTRACT
Despite some common characteristics, Armed Non-State Actors (ANSAs) do not form a single category. De facto entities exercise effective governance over people and territory, yet they only move in the periphery of the international community, despite claims of self-determination and resemblance to states. The importance of other ANSAs depends largely on effectiveness in the sense of control over territory and the generation of an armed conflict. If both these criteria apply, international practice ascribes certain consequences, at times extending beyond the armed conflict period. De facto entities have usually arisen as a direct or by- product of an armed conflict. Despite non-recognition, territory, people and effective governance do not disappear just because states choose to ignore their existence. While non-recognition appears to be a defining characteristic of these entities, if one followed exclusively the declaratory theory of state recognition, then some of the de facto entities resemble states much more than other fictitious, disintegrating entities such as Somalia.
