This is a policy brief and discussion paper prepared and circulated in January 2022 for review by government and civil society leaders concerned with the rise of insurgency movements and insecurity in northern Burkina Faso as well as in the western Sahel region at large. It lays out the foundational concepts in conflict analysis and resolution useful for those working in the region, presents a case study of northeastern Nigeria to illustrate their practical application, and discusses the implications of the case study for the ongoing regional efforts to reverse the prevailing trends of insecurity and violence.