Parties to a conflict are the groups or individuals involved in a conflict. There are primary parties (those who are directly involved in the conflict) and secondary parties (those who are indirectly involved in the conflict or have a stake in the outcome of the conflict).
For example: a primary party to the conflict would include the various groups fighting over power or resources, while secondary parties might include those benefiting from war (e.g., those plundering resources or shipping arms into a country) or individuals or groups supporting the primary parties in some way (e.g., with money or soldiers).
Both primary and secondary parties are stakeholders. Third parties are those individuals that assist the primary parties in resolving the conflict, also called intermediaries or interveners. These individuals, or sometimes groups, may be considered “neutral” by all parties, or they may be partial but are accepted by and have legitimacy with all the parties involved in the conflict.
