ABSTRACT This article examines how small groups have real power in large-scale, brutal conflicts. Working with Goldfarb’s ‘politics of small things’, I show how a unique, specific, and consequential form of political power is generated in and by local peacebuilding groups. I call this power ‘the intimacy of enemies’. By delving into and analysing a particular narrative of interactions within one such group, I demonstrate the emergence of the ‘intimacy of enemies’. I show how the micro-level efforts of these groups carry significant implications for fostering macro-level transformations. Furthermore, I provide insights into why international actors struggle to grasp, support and utilise this power. I conclude with considerations of how small, local peace efforts can prompt a reevaluation of the dynamics of political power.