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 or maintain or to gain independence.

Groups that control territory

The following rebel groups control a certain amount of land or territory. Such control may be contested and might be temporary or fluctuating especially within situations of conflict.

It does not include the governments of stable breakaway states or other states with limited recognition.

Within state Rebel group Conflict Control
since
Territory controlled Notes Headquarters
Multinational:
 Mali
 Somalia
 Yemen
Al-Qaeda Mali War
Somali Civil War
Yemeni Civil War
2006 Parts of central and northern Mali[1]
Parts of southern and eastern Somalia[2]
Parts of Hadhramaut Governorate and Abyan Governorate.[3]
Tinzaouaten (Mali)[4]
Jilib (Somalia)[5]
Multinational:
 Afghanistan
 Nigeria
 Syria
 Somalia
 Yemen
The Islamic State War in Afghanistan
Boko Haram insurgency
Syrian Desert campaign
Somali Civil War
Yemeni Civil War
2013 Limited territorial control in Afghanistan near Pakistan border
Dozens of villages in the Lake Chad area.[6][7]
Around 2,138 km2 (825 sq mi) pocket in Homs Governorate[8]
Several villages in Bari region[9]
Around 25–40 km2 (10–15 sq mi) pocket in Al Bayda Governorate[10]
Designated a terrorist organization by the United Nations[11] Unknown
 Afghanistan Taliban War in Afghanistan 1996 40% of Afghanistan[12][13][14] Taliban controlled territory is also shared with Uzbek Islamists. Quetta[15]
 Cameroon  Ambazonia - (Red Dragon) Anglophone Crisis 2019 Several villages in Lebialem department of Southwest Province in Cameroon.[16] Ambazonia declared independence on 1 October 2017, the Red Dragon militia controlling parts of Lebialem is nominally loyal to the Interim Government of Ambazonia. Unknown
 Central African Republic ex-Séléka Central African Republic Civil War 2012 Northern and eastern parts of CAR. See detailed map Various groups Depending on group
Republic of Logone 2015 Northern CAR Kaga-Bandoro [17]
 Democratic Republic of the Congo Mai-Mai Kivu conflict 2015 Parts of north-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo[18] Various groups Depending on group
Nduma Defense of Congo-Renouveau Big parts of North Kivu province[19] Pinga
 Mali  Azawad Mali War 2012 Parts of northern Mali[20] Kidal[21]
 Mexico Rebel Zapatista Autonomous Municipalities Chiapas conflict 1994 Parts of northern Chiapas.[22] Established various de facto autonomous socialist regions. Oventik[23]
 Myanmar Kachin Independence Army Kachin conflict 2011 Parts of Kachin State in northern Myanmar.[24] Military wing of Kachin Independence Organisation Laiza
United Wa State Army Internal conflict in Myanmar 1989 Northeastern Myanmar; Wa Self-Administered Division.[25] Military wing of the United Wa State Party Pangkham[26]
 South Sudan SPLM-IO South Sudanese Civil War 2013 Territories west of Bentiu, Unity.[27] Ceasefire since 22 February 2020 Juba[28]
 Sudan Sudan Revolutionary Front Sudan–SRF conflict 2011 Parts of South Kordofan state and Blue Nile state.[29] Kauda[30]
 Syria Hayat Tahrir al-Sham Syrian Civil War 2017 Large portion of Idlib Governorate in North West Syria.[31] Faction within the Syrian Civil War that is in opposition to the Syrian government. Idlib[31]
Revolutionary Commando Army 2016 Small pocket in the Syrian Desert adjacent to the Jordanian border and the Iraqi border.[32][33] Faction within the Syrian Civil War that is in opposition to the Syrian government and in alignment with the United States. Al-Tanf[33]
 Rojava 2011 Territories in the north and east of Syria, mostly north of the Euphrates River. Faction within the Syrian Civil War that is allied to the Syrian government and opposed by Turkey. Qamishli
Syrian National Army 2017 Border areas of Northern Syria.[34] Faction within the Syrian Civil War that is in opposition to the Syrian government and in alignment with Turkey. Azaz[35]
 Ukraine  Donetsk People's Republic War in Donbass 2014 Parts of the Donetsk region in Eastern Ukraine.[36] Declared independence on 7 April 2014 Donetsk
 Luhansk People's Republic Parts of the Luhansk region in Eastern Ukraine.[36] Declared independence on 12 May 2014 Luhansk
 Yemen Southern Movement Yemeni Civil War 2017 Some of the territory in South Yemen[37][38][39] Aden
Supreme Political Council - (Houthi movement) 2004 Houthi controlled areas in Yemen. Consisting of most of former North Yemen, including the capital Sana'a, and some minor parts of South Yemen. The Houthi movement controls the capital of Yemen,[40] but is not recognized by the international community. Sa'dah

Rebel groups by state

Rebel groups are listed by the states within which they operate.

International

Afghanistan

Haqqani Network

Algeria

Angola

Argentina

Burkina Faso

Cameroon

Central African Republic

Chile

Coordinadora Arauco-Malleco

China

East Turkestan Islamic Movement

Colombia

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Egypt

Eritrea

Ethiopia

France

Greece

India

Indonesia

Iran

Iraq

Group Strength
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant 80,000–100,000[60]
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

Italy

Lebanon

Libya

  • ISIL in Libya

Mali

Group Strength
National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad 10,000[61]
Ansar Dine 2,000
Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa
al-Qaeda 800
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Ansar al-Sharia (Mali)

Mexico

Mozambique

Myanmar (Burma)

Main source: Myanmar Peace Monitor.

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[69] 1,800
Biafra Avengers[70] 200
Red Egbesu Water Lions[71] 500
Asawana Deadly Force of Niger Delta (ADFND)[72] 350
Adaka Biafra Marine Commandos[73] 100
Utorogun Liberation Movement (ULM)[74] 57
Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force[75] 150
Fulani herdsmen[76] 24000
Joint Revolutionary Council of the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force (JNDLF)[77] 2000
Red Scorpion 150[78]
Ultimate Warriors of Niger Delta[79] 85
Niger Delta Red Squad[80] 400
Niger Delta Vigilante 4,000

Pakistan

Palestine

  • Army of the Islamic State

Paraguay

Peru

Shining Path

Philippines

New People's Army[88]

Republic of the Congo

Russia

Senegal

South Sudan

Sudan

Syria

Main coalitions

Group Strength
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant 50,000[60]
Islamic Front 50,000[94]
People's Protection Units 47,000
40,000
al-Qaeda 15,000
Authenticity and Development Front
  • Jaysh Usud al-Sharqiya
13,000
Jabhat al-Akrad 7,000
Levant Front
  • Fastaqim Kama Umirt
Abdullah Azzam Brigade
Sutoro
Syriac Military Council
Shammar
Asayish

Thailand

Tunisia

Turkey

Uganda

Ukraine

Group Strength
Donetsk People's Republic
Luhansk People's Republic
10,000–20,000[97][98][99]

United Kingdom

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

References

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