List of paramilitary groups

The list of paramilitary groups includes all organized armed groups not officially considered a national military force. Groups are listed alphabetically, with the common name as the primary entry. Multiple entries for multiple names for a group are fine, for the purpose of redirects and easier research.

A

• Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG): Islamic separatist group in the southern Philippines
• Aceh Security Disturbance Movement: English name by the Indonesian government for the Free Aceh Movement
• Al Harakut Al Islamiyya: Alternate name for Abu Sayyaf
• Alex Boncayao Brigade (ABB): Urban militant group of the Communist Party of the Philippines
• Algeti Wolves: Georgian group which carried out anti-Russian attacks in the 1990s.
• Alamara: A counter Insurgency operating across the central-eastern side of Mindanao

B

• Bagani: A counter insurgency group operating in Cabanglasan, Bukidnon, Philippines
• Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA): Separatist group active in Pakistan
• Barasi Revolusi Nasional (BRN): National separatist group in Malaysia and Thailand
• Barisan National Pember-Basan Pattani (BNPP): Islamic insurgent group in Malaysia and Thailand
• Baseej: Iran
• Border Security Force (BSF): Indian border guard force
• Brimob (Korps Brigade Mobil): Indonesian special operations, rapid deployment, and riot control police unit

C

• Cambodian Freedom Fighters (CFF): Rebel group in Cambodia
• Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF): Indian armed police unit
• Cholana Kangtoap Serei Cheat Kampouchea: Cambodian name for the Cambodian Freedom Fighters

E

• Eastern Shan State Army: Group in Burma

F

• Free Aceh Movement: Regional separatist group in Aceh, Indonesia
• Fruit of Islam: Paramilitary wing of the Nation of Islam
• FRSC: Abbreviation for the Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigeria

G

• GAM: Indonesian acronym for the Free Aceh Movement
• Gerakan Aceh Merdeka: Indonesian name for the Free Aceh Movement
• Grey Wolves
• Green Berets (Bosnian paramilitary)
• HOS Abbreviation for Hrvatske Obrane Snage in Croatia

I

• Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) (1974–): Split from the Official IRA in opposition to the OIRA's 1972 ceasefire.
• Irish People's Liberation Organisation (IPLO) (1986–92): Formed by expelled and disaffected members of the INLA after that group started to reduce operations in the mid 1980s. The group were heavily involved in drug dealing and other criminal activities and were forcibly shut down in 1992 by the Provisional IRA.
• Irish Republican Liberation Army (IRLA) (2006–): A "self-styled vigilante group" that split from the Continuity IRA. Linked to the Loyalist Volunteer Force according to some sources.
• The name Irish Republican Army (IRA) has been used by many Irish republican groups in the 20th and 21st centuries. The following names are commonly used by the media and security services, but each group referred to themselves solely as the Irish Republican Army (IRA), and generally rejected the legitimacy of the others.
  • Irish Volunteers (1913–16)

Set up to counter the Ulster Volunteers but was shut down after the Easter Rising and formed the I.R.A. (1917–22)

• • Irish Republican Army (1917–22): The original IRA, which was the official defence force of the Irish Republic and fought in the Irish War of Independence.
  • Irish Republican Army (1922–69): The anti-treaty continuation of the original IRA, active during the Irish Civil War, Irish sabotage campaign, Northern Campaign, Irish Border Campaign and the Troubles.
  • Official IRA (OIRA) (1969–72): The Official IRA was formed after a split in 1969 between different factions of the 1922 IRA. The OIRA became a more overtly political movement, advocating Marxist–Leninist principles.
  • Provisional IRA (PIRA) (1969–2005): Also known as the Provos, the Provisional IRA was the more militarily active of the two IRAs created out of the 1969 split.
  • Continuity IRA (CIRA) (1986–): Split from the Provisional IRA when that group dropped its policy of abstentionism in relation to Dáil Éireann.
  • Real IRA (RIRA) (1997–): Known in the media as the New IRA since their 2012 merger with Republican Action Against Drugs and other smaller republican militant groups, they split from the Provisional IRA over that group's support for the Irish peace process and the Good Friday Agreement.

K

• Kachin Independence Army: Group in N Burma, occupies most of Kachin State.
• Karen National Liberation Army
• Kokang Army: See Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army
• Kilkeel Defence Regiment (KDR) Leaders arrested in September 2019.

L

• Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF): Ulster loyalist group, split from the UVF's Mid-Ulster Brigade.

M

• Man of Order and Discipline Movement (MOD): Nigeria
• Mong Tai Army (MTA): Armed drug cartel in Burma
• Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA): Also known as the Kokang Army, a Kokang nationalist group active in Myanmar.

N

• National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA): Group in NE Burma

O

• Óglaigh na hÉireann (OnH) (2006–09): Small dissident Irish republican group, split from the Continuity IRA.
• Óglaigh na hÉireann (OnH) (2009–): Dissident Irish republican group, split from the Real IRA due to differences in leadership and factionalism.

P

• Peasant Self-Defense Forces of Córdoba and Urabá
• Pancasila Youth of Indonesia
• People's Armed Police of the People's Republic of China

S

• Salwa Judum
• STCC Abbreviation for Safety and Traffic Cadet Corps
• Sea Org Scientology group with roots in naval tradition. Dress in uniforms, live communally in barracks, and are organized around naval ranks. Some dispute whether it is paramilitary.
• SDG, otherwise known as the Serbian Volunteer Guard or Arkan's Tigers. This was a paramilitary army of Serbian Nationalists under the command of Zeljko Raznatovic, active during the Yugoslav Wars.
• Serbian Honour. A Russian-trained and -funded paramilitary unit in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina, acting in support of separatist leader Milorad Dodik.
• Shan State Army - North
• Shan State Army - South

R

• Red Hand Commando (RHC): Ulster loyalist paramilitary group, linked to the Ulster Volunteer Force
• Volunteer Ukrainian Corps "Right Sector" (Добровольчий Український Корпус "Правий сектор")

U

• United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia
• United Wa State Army (UWSA): Autonomous military group in Wa State, Burma
• Ulster Defence Association (UDA): Ulster loyalist group.
• Ustaše Militia acted as a para-military unit, an auxiliary part of the WW2 Croatian Nazi Puppet State's Armed Forces
• Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF): Ulster loyalist paramilitary group.
• Ulster Defence Association (UDA) loyalist paramilitary group