List of active rebel groups
This is a list of active rebel factions around the world whose domains may be subnational, transnational, or international. A "rebel group" is defined here as a political group that uses armed conflict in opposition to established government (or governments) for reasons such as to seek political change or to establish, maintain, or to gain independence.
Groups that control territory
Groups that "control territory" are defined as any group that hold any populated or inhabited town, city, village, or defined area that is under the direct administration or military control of the group. Such control may be contested and might be temporary or fluctuating, especially under the circumstance of conflict. It does not include the governments of stable breakaway states or other states with limited recognition.
Rebel groups by state
Rebel groups are listed by the states within which they operate.
International
- Allied Democratic Forces (ADF)[1]
- Al-Qaeda[2]
- Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
- Abu Sayyaf (ASG)
- Army of the Islamic State
- Boko Haram
- Free Sunnis of Baalbek Brigade
- Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan
- Islamic State in Somalia
- Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – Algeria Province
- Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – Caucasus Province
- Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – Khorasan Province
- Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – Libya Province
- Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – Sinai Province
- Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – Yemen Province
- Janood-ul-Khalifa-e-Hind
- Mujahidin Indonesia Timur (MIT)
- Mujahideen Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem
- Sons of the Call for Tawhid and Jihad
- City of Monotheism and Monotheists (MTM)
- Maute Group
- Ansar Khalifah Philippines
- Jama'at al-Jihad al-Islami (Islamist)
- Jemaah Islamiyah (Islamist)
- Kurdistan Workers' Party
- Lord's Resistance Army
- Taliban
Afghanistan
- Fidai Mahaz (2013–present) (Islamist)
Algeria
- Al-Qaeda (Salafi jihadist)
- Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (also operates Morocco, Mauritania, Niger and Mali (sometimes "Al Qaeda in the Sahel")[5][6]
- Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Salafi jihadist)
Angola
Burkina Faso
Central African Republic
- ex-Séléka
- Anti-balaka
- Lord's Resistance Army
- Return, Reclamation, Rehabilitation
- Revolution and Justice
Colombia
- The Black Eagles (right-wing paramilitary)
- Autodefensas Gaitanistas de Colombia (Paramilitarism)
- Indigenous Revolutionary Armed Forces of the Pacific (Indigenous rights)
- National Liberation Army[7] (ELN) (Marxist)
- Popular Liberation Army (EPL) (Hoxhaist)
- Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia[8] (FARC) (Marxist)
- FARC dissidents (various fronts)
Democratic Republic of the Congo
- M27
- Mai-Mai
- National Forces of Liberation
- RUD-Urunana
- Nyatura
- FDLR
- Mai Mai Sheka
- Mai Mai Yakutumba
- Raia Mutomboki
- FNI
- FRPI
- FPJC
- Mai-Mai Simba
- UPC
- Forces for Renewal
- Mai Mai Yakutumba
- Mai Mai Kata Katanga
- Mai Mai Gédéon
- CORAK
- CPK
- ADF
- Lord's Resistance Army
- Kamwina Nsapu militia
- Bundu dia Kongo (BDK) (Kongo nationalism)
- Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
- City of Monotheism and Monotheists (MTM)
- National Coalition of the People for the Sovereignty of Congo
- CODECO
Egypt
Eritrea
Ethiopia
France
Greece
- Black Star (leftist/anarchist)
- Conspiracy of Fire Nuclei (leftist/anarchist)
- Popular Fighters Group (leftist/anarchist)
- Revolutionary Struggle (leftist/anarchist)
- Sect of Revolutionaries (leftist/anarchist)
India
- Communist Party of India (Maoist)[10] (Communist)
- Hizbul Mujahideen[11][12] (Separatist)
- International Sikh Youth Federation[13]
- Jaish-e-Mohammed[14] (Islamist)
- Indian Mujahideen
- Khalistan Commando Force[15]
- Khalistan Zindabad Force[7]
- Lashkar-e-Taiba[16] (also in Pakistan) (Islamist)
- Maoist Communist Party of Manipur
- National Socialist Council of Nagaland – Isaac-Muivah
- Students Islamic Movement of India[17] (Islamist)
- United Jihad Council (separatist)
- United Liberation Front of Assam[18] (separatist)
Indonesia
- Jemaah Islamiyah[19] (also known to operate in other parts of South East Asia such as Singapore and the Philippines) (JI) (Islamist)
- Free Aceh Movement (separatist)
- South Moluccas (separatist)
- Free Papua Movement (separatist)
- Mujahidin Indonesia Timur (MIT) (Islamist)
- Jamaah Ansharut Tauhid (JAT) (Islamist)
- Jamaah Ansharusy Syariah (JAS) (Islamist)
- Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) (Islamist)
Iran
- Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahwaz (Arab nationalist)
- Communist Party of Iran (Marxist–Leninist–Maoist)
- Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (Democratic socialist/Kurdish nationalist)
- Jaish ul-Adl (Salafi jihadist)
- Jundullah (Salafi jihadist)
- Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan (Kurdish nationalism/Revolutionary socialism)
- Kurdistan Free Life Party (Democratic confederalism/Kurdish nationalism)
- Kurdistan Freedom Party (Kurdish nationalism)
- People's Mujahedin of Iran (Islamic Marxism)
Iraq
Group | Strength |
---|---|
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant | 80,000–100,000[20] |
Supreme Command for Jihad and Liberation | 100,000 |
Army of the Men of the Naqshbandi Order | 5,000 |
Islamic Army of Iraq | 10,000 |
General Military Council for Iraqi Revolutionaries |
Ireland
- Continuity Irish Republican Army: 1994–present (Irish Republican)
- Real IRA: 1997–present (Irish Republican)
Italy
- Informal Anarchist Federation (leftist/anarchist)
Libya
- ISIL in Libya
Mali
Mexico
Mozambique
Myanmar (Burma)
Main source: Myanmar Peace Monitor.
- All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF)
- DKBA-5[24]
- Shan State Army – North (SSA-N)
- Shan State Army – South (SSA-S)[25]
- United Wa State Army (UWSA)
- United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC)[26]
- Kachin Independence Organization (KIO/KIA)[27] (Ethnic/Self determination)
- Arakan Army (AA)
- New Mon State Party (NMSP)
- Shan State Army-North (SSA-N) (SSPP /SSA)
- Karen National Union (KNU)[28] (ethnic/Democratic)
- Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP)
- Chin National Front (CNF)
- Lahu Democratic Union (LDU)
- Arakan National Council (ANC), Arakan Liberation Army (ALA)
- Pa-O National Liberation Organisation (PNLO)
- Palaung State Liberation Front (PSLF)
- Wa National Organisation (WNO)
Nigeria
Group | Strength |
---|---|
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant | 15,000 |
Ansaru | |
Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta | 15,000 |
Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force | |
Niger Delta Liberation Front | 2,500 |
Niger Delta Avengers[29] | 1,800 |
Biafra Avengers[30] | 200 |
Red Egbesu Water Lions[31] | 500 |
Asawana Deadly Force of Niger Delta (ADFND)[32] | 350 |
Adaka Biafra Marine Commandos[33] | 100 |
Utorogun Liberation Movement (ULM)[34] | 57 |
Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force[35] | 150 |
Fulani herdsmen[36] | 24000 |
Joint Revolutionary Council of the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force (JNDLF)[37] | 2000 |
Red Scorpion | 150[38] |
Ultimate Warriors of Niger Delta[39] | 85 |
Niger Delta Red Squad[40] | 400 |
Niger Delta Vigilante | 4,000 |
Pakistan
- Baloch Republican Army[41] (Baloch nationalism)
- Balochistan Liberation Army (Baloch nationalism)
- Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan[42] (Deobandi/Wahabi Islam)
- Tehreek-e-Nafaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi[43] (Deobandi Islam)
- Jamaat-ul-Ahrar
- Fedayeen al-Islam[44] (Deobandi Islam)
- Jundallah (Pakistan)
- Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan[45] (also operated in Kyrgyzstan) (Deobandi/Wahabi Islam)
- Lashkar-e-Islam[46] (Deobandi Islam)
- Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (Deobandi/Wahabi) Sectarian)
- Sipah-e-Sahaba (Deobandi/Wahabi Sectarian)
- Lashkar-e-Omar[47] (Deobandi/Wahabi Islam)
Palestine
- Hamas
- Palestinian Islamic Jihad
- Al-Quds Squads
- Popular Resistance Committees
- Abu Samhadana clan
- Army of Islam (Gaza Strip)
- Fatah Revolutionary Council
- Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Paraguay
- Paraguayan People's Army (EPP)
- Armed Peasant Association (ACA) (only remnants still active)
- Army of Marshal López (Ejército del Mariscal López, EML)
Peru
Philippines
Russia
South Sudan
Sudan
Syria
Main coalitions
Thailand
Tunisia
- Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
- Ansar al-Sharia
- Al-Qaeda
- Okba Ibn Nafaa Brigade
Turkey
- Civil Protection Units
- Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist–Leninist (Maoist Party Centre)
- Great Eastern Islamic Raiders' Front
- Islamic Party of Kurdistan
- Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant[55]
- Kurdistan Communities Union
- Kurdistan Freedom Hawks
- Peoples' United Revolutionary Movement
- Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front
- Turkish Hezbollah
- Turkish Islamic Jihad
Uganda
- Allied Democratic Forces (Also active in Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Ukraine
Group | Strength |
---|---|
Donetsk People's Republic Luhansk People's Republic |
10,000–20,000[56][57][58] |
United Kingdom
- Continuity Irish Republican Army: 1994–present (separatist/Irish nationalist)
- Real Irish Republican Army: 1997–present (separatist/Irish nationalist)
- Orange Volunteers: 1998–present (Ulster loyalist/sectarian)
- Real Ulster Freedom Fighters: 2007–present (Ulster loyalist/sectarian)
- Red Hand Defenders: 1998–present (Ulster loyalist/sectarian)
- Irish Republican Liberation Army 2008–present (separatist/Irish nationalist)
Uzbekistan
Yemen
- Al-Qaeda Emirate in Yemen
- Wilayat Sanaa
- Wilayat Aden-Abyan
- Wilayah Lahij
- Wilayah Green Brigade
- Wilayah al-Bayda
- Wilayah Shabwah
- Wilayah Ataq
- Wilayah Hadramawt
- Southern Resistance
See also
- List of rebel groups that control territory
- List of guerrilla movements
- List of designated terrorist organizations
- List of ongoing military conflicts
- Lists of active separatist movements
- List of active communist armed groups
- Violent non-state actor
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