List of paramilitary groups
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The following is a list of paramilitary organisations.


Governmental paramilitary units


Asia


Hong Kong

* Police Force **
Special Duties Unit The Special Duties Unit (SDU; ), nicknamed the "Flying Tigers" (), is the elite tactical unit of the Hong Kong Police Force tasked with countering terrorist attacks, hostage rescue, underwater search and recovery, and tackling serious crime i ...
**
Special Tactical Squad The Special Tactical Contingent (STC; ), nicknamed the "Raptors" (), commonly known as the Special Tactical Squad (STS), is a specialist riot contingent of the Hong Kong Police Force under the command of the Police Tactical Unit (PTU). It wa ...
**Counter Terrorism Response Unit ** Police Tactical Unit ** Airport Security Unit ** VIP Protection Unit ** Surveillance Support Unit ***Quick Reaction Force **Small Boat Division *** Maritime Emergency Response Team *
Civil Aid Service The Civil Aid Service (CAS) is a civil organisation that assists in a variety of auxiliary emergency roles, including search and rescue operations in Hong Kong. CAS is funded by the Hong Kong Government and its members wear uniforms. His ...
*
Government Flying Service The Government Flying Service (GFS) is a disciplined unit and paramilitary flying organisation of the Government of Hong Kong. The service has its head office in, and operates from, the southwestern end of Hong Kong International Airport at ...


Sri Lanka

* Special Task Force


Thailand

*
Border Patrol Police The Border Patrol Police ( th, ตำรวจตระเวนชายแดน); (BPP) is a Thai paramilitary police under the jurisdiction of the Royal Thai Police, responsible for border security and counterinsurgency. History The Thai Bo ...
* Marine Paramilitary Task Force * Paramilitary Marine Regiment, Royal Thai Navy also known as Thahan Phran Marines *
Thahan Phran The Thahan Phran (ทหารพราน; literally "hunter soldiers"; AKA Thai Rangers) AKA the Royal Thai Paramilitary Force is a paramilitary light infantry force which patrols the borders of Thailand and is an auxiliary of the Royal Tha ...
also known as Thai Rangers *
Village Scouts Village Scouts ( th, ลูกเสือชาวบ้าน, ) is the common name of a right-wing, ultranationalist social movement and paramilitary militia of volunteers from rural Thailand. It is a countrywide organization that the King and ...
*
Volunteer Defense Corps (Thailand) The Volunteer Defense Corps ( th, กองอาสารักษาดินแดน; abbreviated VDC) is a Thai paramilitary under the authority of the Department of Provincial Administration, Ministry of Interior.http://www.ratchakitcha.s ...


Indonesia

* Brimob * Densus 88


Malaysia

* Pasukan Gerakan Am as Paramilitary Force * People's Volunteer Corps of
Ministry of Home Affairs An interior ministry (sometimes called a ministry of internal affairs or ministry of home affairs) is a government department that is responsible for internal affairs. Lists of current ministries of internal affairs Named "ministry" * Ministry ...
* 69 Komando PGK as Multi Spectrum Special Force


Bangladesh

*
Border Guard Bangladesh Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) are a paramilitary force responsible for the border security of Bangladesh. The force is known as "The Vigilant Sentinels of the National Frontier". The BGB is entrusted with the responsibility to defend the borde ...
*
Bangladesh Coast Guard The Bangladesh Coast Guard ( bn, বাংলাদেশ কোস্ট গার্ড; BCG) is the maritime law enforcement force of Bangladesh. It is a paramilitary force which is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Its ...
*
Bangladesh Ansar The Bangladesh Ansar (also known as the Ansar Bahini) is a paramilitary auxiliary force responsible for the preservation of internal security and law enforcement in Bangladesh. It is administered by the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Government ...
*
Bangladesh National Cadet Corps The Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC) is a tri-services volunteer reserve force comprising the Army, Navy and Air Force for school, college and university students. Students are trained by military staffs and personnel all through the cade ...


Pakistan

*
Civil Armed Forces The Civil Armed Forces (CAF) are a group of nine paramilitary, uniformed organisations, separate and distinct from the regular "military" Pakistan Armed Forces. They are responsible for maintaining internal security, helping law enforcement ag ...
*
Pakistan National Guard The National Guard of Pakistan ( ur, ) is a reserve military force and the component of the Pakistan Army that is designed to act as a "second line of defense" in Pakistan. together with the Pakistan Army Reserve, the Frontier Corps and the ...
* Pakistan Levies


Philippines

* Special Action Force


North Korea

*The Worker-Peasant Red Guards of the Workers' Party of Korea of North Korea


China

*
Paramilitary forces of China The paramilitary forces of China are the military units and formations apart from the People's Liberation Army, the principal military force of the People's Republic of China. They are composed of three main forces, the People's Liberation Army ...


Vietnam

* Militia and Self-Defense (Vietnam)


India

*
Paramilitary forces of India India maintains 10 paramilitary forces. List of Paramilitary forces From 1986 to 2011 the Central Armed Police Forces were considered as Central Police Forces (CPF). However, as per their respective acts they all are Armed Police Forces. R ...


Japan

*
Special Assault Team The is a police tactical unit in major Japanese prefectural police departments, supervised by the National Police Agency. The SAT is a national-level counter-terrorism unit that cooperates with territorial-level Anti-Firearms Squads and Cou ...


Middle East


Iran

*
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC; fa, سپاه پاسداران انقلاب اسلامی, Sepāh-e Pāsdārān-e Enghelāb-e Eslāmi, lit=Army of Guardians of the Islamic Revolution also Sepāh or Pasdaran for short) is a branch o ...
* Basij


Iraq

*
Popular Mobilization Forces The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) ( ar, الحشد الشعبي ''al-Ḥashd ash-Shaʿbī''), also known as the People's Mobilization Committee (PMC) and the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), is an Iraqi state-sponsored umbrella organization ...
*
Facilities Protection Service The Facilities Protection Service is an Iraqi paramilitary force tasked with the fixed site protection of Iraqi Government buildings, facilities, and personnel. The FPS includes Oil, Electricity Police and Port Security. It works for all Iraqi gov ...


Israel

*
Magav The Israel Border Police ( he, מִשְׁמַר הַגְּבוּל, Mišmar Ha-Gvul) is the gendarmerie and border security branch of the Israel National Police. It is also commonly known by its Hebrew abbreviation Magav (), meaning border g ...


Syria

*
National Defence Forces The National Defence Forces (NDF) ( ar, قوات الدفاع الوطني ''Quwāt ad-Difāʿ al-Watanī'') is a pro-government militia, that was formed on 1 November 2012 and organized by the Syrian government during the Syrian Civil War as a ...


Turkey

* Village Guards


Europe


Albania

* RENEA


Estonia

*
Estonian Defence League The Estonian Defence League ( et, Eesti Kaitseliit) is the name of the unified paramilitary armed forces of the Republic of Estonia. The Defence League is a paramilitary defence organization whose aim is to guarantee the preservation of the indep ...


Finland

* Border Guard * Police Rapid Response Unit


France

* Action Division of
DGSE The General Directorate for External Security (french: link=no, Direction générale de la Sécurité extérieure, DGSE) is France's foreign intelligence agency, equivalent to the British MI6 and the American CIA, established on 2 April 1982. ...
*
National Gendarmerie The National Gendarmerie (french: Gendarmerie nationale, ) is one of two national law enforcement forces of France, along with the National Police. The Gendarmerie is a branch of the French Armed Forces placed under the jurisdiction of the Mini ...
*
Marseille Naval Fire Battalion The Marseille Naval Fire Battalion (french: Bataillon de marins-pompiers de Marseille, or ''BMPM''), is the fire and rescue service for the city of Marseille. The battalion is a branch of the French Navy (french: Marine nationale), and consists o ...
of the French Navy *
Paris Fire Brigade The Paris Fire Brigade (french: Brigade des sapeurs-pompiers de Paris, BSPP) is a French Army unit which serves as the primary fire and rescue service for Paris, the city's inner suburbs and certain sites of national strategic importance. The ...
of the French Army


Italy

*
Guardia di Finanza The ''Guardia di Finanza'' (G. di F. or GdF) () (English: literal: ''Guard of Finance'', paraphrased: ''Financial Police'' or ''Financial Guard'') is an Italian law enforcement agency under the authority of the Minister of Economy and Finance. ...


Latvia

* Zemessardze


Lithuania

*
Lithuanian Riflemen's Union The Lithuanian Riflemen's Union (LRU, lt, Lietuvos šaulių sąjunga), also referred to as Šauliai ( lt, šaulys for ''rifleman''), is a paramilitary non-profit organisation supported by the State. The activities are in three main areas: milita ...


Netherlands

*
Royal Marechaussee The Royal Netherlands Marechaussee ( nl, Koninklijke Marechaussee, abbreviated to KMar) is the national gendarmerie force of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, performing military and civilian police duties. It is also one of the two national pol ...
*
Dienst Speciale Interventies The ''Dienst Speciale Interventies'' ( en, Special Intervention Service), commonly abbreviated DSI, is the elite police tactical unit of the Dutch National Police Corps and was formally established on 1 July 2006. The DSI is tasked with neutralisin ...


Poland

* BOA KGP


Portugal

* ''Guarda Nacional Republicana'' (National Republican Guard)


Russia

*
Registered Cossacks of the Russian Federation , country = , allegiance = President of Russia , image = Emblem of the All-Russian Cossack Society.svg , caption = Emblem of the Cossacks of Russia , ty ...
*
Kadyrovtsy ) , patron = , motto = Akhmad is strong!(russian: Ахмат — сила!) , colors = A-TACS , colors_label = , march = , mas ...


Sweden

*
National Task Force The National Task Force ( sv, Nationella insatsstyrkan, ''NI''), formerly known as the National Task Force of the Swedish Civilian Police ( sv, Ordningspolisens nationella insatsstyrka), is a police tactical unit within the National Operations Dep ...


Ukraine

*
Azov Battalion The Special Operations Detachment "Azov" (), also known as the Azov Regiment ( uk, Полк «Азов», translit=Polk "Azov") and formerly the Azov Battalion ( uk, батальйон «Азов», translit=Batalion "Azov"), is a unit of the ...
* Noman Çelebicihan Battalion *
Ukrainian Volunteer Corps The Right Sector Ukrainian Volunteer Corps () or simply the Ukrainian Volunteer Corps (), is the paramilitary arm of far-right Ukrainian nationalist party Right Sector. The Ukrainian Volunteer Corps was founded on July 17, 2014, as one of the " ...
(since 2022)


Africa


Kenya

* General Service Unit (Kenya) * Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS)


Mauritius

* Special Mobile Force


Nigeria

* Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps


Seychelles

* Seychelles People's Defence Forces


Sudan

*
Rapid Support Forces , image = Rapid Support Forces emblem.png , image_size = , caption = RSF Seal , start_date = August 2013 , dates = , country = , allegiance = , branch = , command_structure = Sudanese Armed Forces , type = Paramilitary , role = , ...


Libya (

Libyan House of Representatives The Libyan House of Representatives (HoR) ( ar, مجلس النواب, translit=Majlis al-Nuwaab, translation=Council of Deputies) is the legislature of Libya resulting from the 2014 Libyan parliamentary election, which had an 18% turnout. I ...
)

* Avengers of Blood


Oceania


Australia

*
Australian Border Force The Australian Border Force (ABF) is a federal law enforcement agency, part of the Department of Home Affairs, responsible for offshore and onshore border control enforcement, investigations, compliance and detention operations in Australia. Thr ...


Americas


United States

* CIA Special Activities Center, Special Operations Group * DOE Federal Protective Forces * DOE Office of Secure Transportation *
FBI SWAT FBI Special Weapons and Tactics Teams are specialized part-time police tactical units (SWAT) of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The FBI maintains SWAT teams at each of its 56 field offices throughout the United States. Each team is c ...
* FBI
Hostage Rescue Team The Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) is the elite tactical unit of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The HRT was formed to provide a full-time federal law enforcement tactical capability to respond to major terrorist incidents throughout the ...
*
United States Marshals Service The United States Marshals Service (USMS) is a federal law enforcement agency in the United States. The USMS is a bureau within the U.S. Department of Justice, operating under the direction of the Attorney General, but serves as the enforc ...


Canada

* The
Emergency Response Team (RCMP) The Emergency Response Team (ERT; ) are police tactical units of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police based throughout Canada and are mainly part-time teams. According to the RCMP, the ERT "is a group of highly-trained RCMP members capable of empl ...
** Marine Emergency Response Team


Venezuela

*
Venezuelan National Guard The Bolivarian National Guard of Venezuela ( es, Guardia Nacional Bolivariana de Venezuela - GNB), is one of the four components of the National Armed Forces of Venezuela. The national guard can serve as gendarmerie, perform civil defense roles, ...
* Bolivarian Militia of Venezuela


Non-governmental paramilitary units

*The
Palestinian Islamic Jihad The Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine ( ar, حركة الجهاد الإسلامي في فلسطين, ''Harakat al-Jihād al-Islāmi fi Filastīn''), known in the West simply as Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), is a Palestinian Islamist pa ...
and Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade of Fatah *
Jalisco New Generation Cartel The Jalisco New Generation Cartel ( es, Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación) or CJNG, formerly known as ''Los Mata Zetas'', is a semi-militarized Mexican criminal group based in Jalisco which is headed by Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes ("El Me ...
*The
Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades ( ar, كتائب الشهيد عز الدين القسام, , Battalions of martyr Izz ad-Din al-Qassam; also spelt Izzedine or Ezzedeen Al-Qassam Brigades; often shortened to Al-Qassam Brigades, IQB
of
Hamas Hamas (, ; , ; an acronym of , "Islamic Resistance Movement") is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist, militant, and nationalist organization. It has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam ...
*Various unorganized non-governmental Militia organizations in the United States (that are not associated with the U.S. military, law enforcement agencies, nor state defense forces in any way. ** 3 Percenters ** Arizona Border Recon **
Hutaree Hutaree was a Militia organizations in the United States, militia movement group adhering to the ideology of the Christian Patriot movement, based near Adrian, Michigan, in the United States.Idaho Light Foot Militia **
Michigan Militia The Michigan Militia is a paramilitary Michigan-based organization founded in 1994 by Norman Olson, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. The group was formed in response to perceived encroachments by the federal government on the rights of citizens ...
** Militia of Montana ** Missouri Citizens Militia ** New York Light Foot Militia **
Oath Keepers Oath Keepers is an American far-right anti-government militia whose leaders have been convicted of violently opposing the government of the United States, including the transfer of Presidential power as prescribed by the US Constitution. ...
** Ohio Defense Force **Texas Light Foot Militia **and many others totaling at around 334 unorganized militia groups as of 2011 *The
Fruit of Islam The Fruit of Islam (FOI) is the security and disciplinary wing of the Nation of Islam (NOI). It has also been described as its paramilitary wing. The Fruit of Islam wear distinctive blue, brown or white uniforms and caps and have units at all NOI ...
of the Nation of Islam *The Strzelec Riflemen's Association of Poland * Hezbollah *
Albanian National Army The Albanian National Army (ANA; sq, Armata Kombëtare Shqiptare, AKSh), is an Albanian paramilitary organization which operates in North Macedonia, Serbia and Kosovo. The group opposes the Ohrid Framework Agreement which ended the 2001 insurge ...
*
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ( ; , , ) is an Indian right-wing, Hindu nationalist, paramilitary volunteer organisation. The RSS is the progenitor and leader of a large body of organisations called the Sangh Parivar (Hindi for "Sangh family ...
*
Salwa Judum Salwa Judum (meaning "peace march" or "purification hunt" in the Gondi language) was a militia that was mobilised and deployed as part of counterinsurgency operations in Chhattisgarh, India, aimed at countering Naxalite violence in the regio ...
* Right-wing paramilitary group in Colombia ** AUC **
AAA AAA, Triple A, or Triple-A is a three-letter initialism or abbreviation which may refer to: Airports * Anaa Airport in French Polynesia (IATA airport code AAA) * Logan County Airport (Illinois) (FAA airport code AAA) Arts, entertainment, and me ...
** CONVIVIR ** ACCU ** Los Paisas ** Black Eagles ** Los Rastrojos ** Libertadores del Vichada ** Bloque Meta ** ERPAC * Raskamboni Front * Popular Front of India * Russian Orthodox Army * Interbrigades *
Russian Imperial Movement The Russian Imperial Movement (RIM; russian: Русское Имперское Движениe, translit=Russkoe imperskoe dvizhenie, RID)Marlene Laruelle, ''Russian Nationalism: Imaginaries, Doctrines, and Political Battlefields'' (Routledge, 2 ...
* Nordic Strength *
Eelam People’s Democratic Party The Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) is a political party and a pro-government paramilitary organization in Sri Lanka. It is led by its founder Douglas Devananda. Background Douglas Devananda was one of the founding members of the Eelam ...
*
Ukrainian Volunteer Corps The Right Sector Ukrainian Volunteer Corps () or simply the Ukrainian Volunteer Corps (), is the paramilitary arm of far-right Ukrainian nationalist party Right Sector. The Ukrainian Volunteer Corps was founded on July 17, 2014, as one of the " ...
(till 2022) * Misanthropic Division * Ukrainian National Self Defense * Berdiansk Partisan Army * Popular Resistance of Ukraine * Atesh (movement) *There are a number of paramilitary organisations in the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
, most of them operate in and around
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
and are a continuation of the various paramilitary groups which operated in
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
during
The Troubles The Troubles ( ga, Na Trioblóidí) were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict, it is sometimes described as an " ...
. Apart from these, there are a small number of white supremacist paramilitary organisations which operate in the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
. These organisations are: **
Real Irish Republican Army The Real Irish Republican Army, or Real IRA (RIRA), is a dissident Irish republican paramilitary group that aims to bring about a United Ireland. It formed in 1997 following a split in the Provisional IRA by dissident members, who rejected the ...
mainly in
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
**
Ulster Resistance Ulster Resistance (UR), or the Ulster Resistance Movement (URM), is an Ulster loyalism, Ulster loyalist Ulster loyalism#Paramilitary and vigilante groups, paramilitary movement established by the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) in Northern Irela ...
mainly in
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
**
Ulster Volunteer Force The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) is an Ulster loyalist paramilitary group. Formed in 1965, it first emerged in 1966. Its first leader was Gusty Spence, a former British Army soldier from Northern Ireland. The group undertook an armed campaign ...
mainly in
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
** Irish National Liberation Army mainly in
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
**
Combat 18 Combat 18 (C18 or 318) is a neo-Nazi terrorist organisation that was founded in 1992. It originated in the United Kingdom, with ties to movements in Canada and the United States. Since then it has spread to other countries, including Germany ...


See also

*
List of defunct paramilitary organizations The following is a list of defunct paramilitary organizations. List of defunct governmental paramilitary units (in alphabetical order) {, class="wikitable" , + !Name !Region !Active between !Type !Notes , - , Barracked People's Police (KVP) , , ...
* List of police tactical units * List of paramilitary groups *
List of countries by number of military and paramilitary personnel This is a list of countries by number of military and paramilitary personnel. It includes any government-sponsored soldiers used to further the domestic and foreign policies of their respective government. The term "country" is used in its most ...
*
Militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
*
Military volunteer A military volunteer (or ''war volunteer'') is a person who enlists in military service by free will, and is not a conscript, mercenary, or a foreign legionnaire. Volunteers sometimes enlist to fight in the armed forces of a foreign country, fo ...
*
Mercenary A mercenary, sometimes also known as a soldier of fortune or hired gun, is a private individual, particularly a soldier, that joins a military conflict for personal profit, is otherwise an outsider to the conflict, and is not a member of any ...
*
List of designated terrorist groups A number of national governments and two international organizations have created lists of organizations that they designate as terrorist. The following list of designated terrorist groups lists groups designated as terrorist by current and fo ...
*
Violent non-state actor In international relations, violent non-state actors (VNSAs), also known as non-state armed actors or non-state armed groups (NSAGs), are individuals or groups that are wholly or partly independent of governments and which threaten or use viole ...
*
Private army A private army (or private military) is a military or paramilitary force consisting of armed combatants who owe their allegiance to a private person, group, or organization, rather than a nation or state. History Private armies may form when ...


Footnotes


References

* * * * {{cite book, author=David Shambaugh, title=Modernizing China's military: progress, problems, and prospects, url=https://archive.org/details/modernizingchina0000sham, url-access=registration, date=2002, publisher=University of California Press, isbn=9780520225077 paramilitary