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This is a list of active rebel groups around the world. A "rebel group" is defined here as a polity 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.

Rebel groups by state

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

Within state Rebel group Subgroups / Affiliates Conflict Year Established Leader References
Multinational:
 Democratic Republic of the Congo
 Uganda 		Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) None 1996 Musa Baluku [1]
Multinational:
 Algeria
 Bangladesh
 Burkina Faso
 Chad
 Egypt
 Indonesia
 Iraq
 Israel
 Ivory Coast
 Kenya
 Libya
 Mali
 Niger
 Nigeria
 Pakistan
 Russia
 Somalia
 Syria
 Tunisia
 Yemen 		Al-Qaeda 1988 Saif al-Adel [2][3][4]
Multinational:
 Afghanistan
 Algeria
 Bangladesh
 Burkina Faso
 Cameroon
 Chad
 Democratic Republic of the Congo
 Egypt
 Indonesia
 India
 Iraq
 Iran
 Ivory Coast
 Libya
 Mozambique
 Mali
 Niger
 Nigeria
 Pakistan
 Philippines
 Russia
 Saudi Arabia
 Somalia
 Syria
 Thailand
 Tunisia
 Turkey
 Yemen 		Islamic State Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant 1999 Abu al-Hasan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi [5][6][7][8][9]
Multinational:
 Afghanistan
 Iran
 Pakistan
 Syria
 Tajikistan 		Jama'at al-Jihad al-Islami None 2002
Multinational:
 Indonesia
 Malaysia
 Philippines
 Singapore
 Thailand 		Jemaah Islamiyah None 1993 Abu Bakar Baasyir
Multinational:
 Iraq
 Iran
 Syria
 Turkey 		Kurdistan Workers' Party 1978 Abdullah Öcalan
Multinational:
 Central African Republic
 Democratic Republic of the Congo
 South Sudan
 Uganda 		Lord's Resistance Army None 1987 Joseph Kony [10]
 Afghanistan Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin None Afghanistan conflict 1975 Gulbuddin Hekmatyar [11][12]
Fidai Mahaz None 2013 Mullah Najibullah
National Resistance Front of Afghanistan None 2021 Ahmad Massoud
Warriors of Khazaristan None 2021 [13]
 Angola Republic of Cabinda FLEC Cabinda War 1975 António Bento Bembe
 Burkina Faso Ansar ul Islam None Insurgency in the Maghreb 2016 Abdoul Salam Dicko
 Cameroon  Ambazonia List of Ambazonian militant groups Anglophone Crisis 2017 Samuel Ikome Sako
 Central African Republic Central African Republic Coalition of Patriots for Change Central African Republic Civil War 2020 François Bozizé (alleged)
Movement of Central African Liberators for Justice None 2008 Toumou Deya Gilbert
 Chile Coordinadora Arauco-Malleco Lafkenche Mapuche Resistance[14] Mapuche conflict 1998 Héctor Llaitul
Weichán Auka Mapu None 2011 Collective leadership
 China East Turkestan Islamic Movement None Xinjiang conflict 1988 Abdullah Mansour
 Colombia Autodefensas Gaitanistas de Colombia None 2001 Dario Antonio Úsuga
Indigenous Revolutionary Armed Forces of the Pacific None
National Liberation Army (ELN) None 1964 Antonio Garcia [15]
Popular Liberation Army (EPL) None 1967
FARC dissidents None 2016 Gentil "Cabuyo" Duarte
 Democratic Republic of the Congo Bundu dia Kongo (BDK) None 1986 Ne Muanda Nsemi
CODECO None 1970s
Coordination for a Referendum on Self-determination for Katanga (CORAK) None
Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) None 2000
Kamwina Nsapu militia None
Mai-Mai None 1960s
Mai Mai Kata Katanga None 2011
Mai Mai Gédéon None
Mai Mai Sheka None
Mai-Mai Simba None
Mai Mai Yakutumba None
March 27 Movement (M27) None
National Coalition of the People for the Sovereignty of Congo None 2017 William Yakutumba
Nationalist and Integrationist Front (FNI) None 2005 Peter Karim Udaga
Nyatura None
Patriotic Resistance Front of Ituri (FRPI) None 2002 Cobra Matata
Popular Front for Justice in the Congo (FPJC) None 2008 David Mbadu
Progressive Katanga Congress (CPK) None
Raia Mutomboki None 2005 Isaac Chirambiza
RUD-Urunana None
Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) None 2001 Bosco Ntaganda
March 23 Movement None 2012 Bertrand Bisimwa
 Egypt Al Furqan Brigades None 2013
Ansar al-Sharia None 2012 Ahmed Ashush
Egyptian Islamic Jihad None 1979 Sayyed Imam Al-Sharif
Hasm Movement None 2015
Soldiers of Egypt None 2013
 Ethiopia Oromo Liberation Army Oromo conflict 2020 Kumsa Diriba
Tigray People's Liberation Front Tigray Defense Forces Tigray War 1975 Debretsion Gebremichael
 France Comité Régional d'Action Viticole (CRAV) None 1907
 Greece Black Star None
Conspiracy of Fire Nuclei None 2008
Popular Fighters Group None 2013
Revolutionary Struggle None 2003
Sect of Revolutionaries None 2009
 India Hizbul Mujahideen None Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir 1989 Sayeed Salahudeen [16][17]
Jaish-e-Mohammed None 2000 Masood Azhar [18]
Lashkar-e-Taiba None 1986 Hafiz Muhammad Saeed [19]
United Jihad Council None 1994
National Socialist Council of Nagaland None Insurgency in Northeast India 1980 Thuingaleng Muivah
United Liberation Front of Asom None 1979 [20]
Communist Party of India (Maoist) None Naxalite–Maoist insurgency 2004 Nambala Keshava Rao [21]
Maoist Communist Party of Manipur None 2011
International Sikh Youth Federation None 1987 Lakhbir Singh Rode [22]
Khalistan Zindabad Force None 1988 Ranjit Singh Neeta [15]
Students' Islamic Movement of India None 1977 [23]
 Indonesia East Indonesia Mujahideen (MIT) None 2010 Ali Kalora
Free Papua Movement None Papua conflict 1963 Mathias Wenda
Jamaah Ansharusy Syariah (JAS) None
Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) None
Jamaah Ansharut Tauhid (JAT) None 2008 Abu Bakar Ba'asyir
Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) None 1993 [24]
South Moluccas None 1950
 Iran Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan None Western Iran clashes 1945 Mustafa Hijri
Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan None 2000 Abdullah Mohtadi
Kurdistan Freedom Party None 1991 Hussein Yazdanpanah
Kurdistan Free Life Party None 2004 Abdul Rahman Haji Ahmadi
Jaish ul-Adl None Insurgency in Balochistan 2012 Salahuddin Farooqui
Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahvaz None Khuzestan conflict 2005 Habib Jabor / Saddam Hattem
Communist Party of Iran (Marxist–Leninist–Maoist) None 2001
People's Mujahedin of Iran None 1965 Maryam Rajavi
 Iraq Army of the Men of the Naqshbandi Order None Insurgency in Iraq 2006 Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri
 Ireland Continuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA) None Dissident Irish republican campaign 1994 Continuity Army Council
Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA) None 1997 Army Council
 Italy Informal Anarchist Federation None 2003
 Libya Brigade 93 None Libyan Crisis (2011–present) 2012 Salem al-Aawar
Green Resistance None 2014
Rafallah al-Sahati Brigade None
Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries 2014 Mustafa al-Sharksi
Toubou Front for the Salvation of Libya None 2007 Issa Abdel Majid Mansur
Libya Zintan Brigades None 2011 Kalifah Shahub
 Mali Ansar al-Sharia None Mali War 2012
Azawad National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad None 2011 Bilal Ag Acherif [25]
 Mexico Popular Revolutionary Army None 1996 Edmundo Reyes [26]
Zapatista Army of National Liberation None Chiapas conflict 1983 [27]
 Mozambique Ansar al-Sunna None Insurgency in Cabo Delgado 2015
 Myanmar All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF) None Internal conflict in Myanmar 1988 Than Khae
DKBA-5 None 2010 Saw Mo Shay [28]
Shan State Army - South (SSA-S) None 1996 Yawd Serk [29]
United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) 2011 Nai Hong Sar [30][31]
United Wa State Army None 1989 Bao Youxiang
 Nigeria Indigenous People of Biafra Eastern Security Network Insurgency in Southeastern Nigeria 2012 Nnamdi Kanu
Adaka Biafra Marine Commandos None Conflict in the Niger Delta [32]
Asawana Deadly Force of Niger Delta (ADFND) None [33]
Biafra Avengers None [34]
Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force None [35]
Joint Revolutionary Council of the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force (JNDLF) None [36]
Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta None 2004 Henry Okah
Niger Delta Avengers None 2016 [37]
Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force None 2004
Niger Delta Red Squad None [38]
Red Egbesu Water Lions None [39]
Red Scorpion None [40]
Utorogun Liberation Movement (ULM) None [41]
Ultimate Warriors of Niger Delta None [42]
Ansaru None Islamist insurgency in Nigeria 2012
Fulani herdsmen None Herder–farmer conflicts in Nigeria 1999 [43]
 Pakistan Baloch Republican Army None Insurgency in Balochistan 2007 Brahumdagh Bugti [44]
Balochistan Liberation Army None 2000 Hyrbyair Marri
Jaish ul-Adl None 2012 Salahuddin Farooqui
Lashkar-e-Islam None Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 2004 Mangal Bagh [45]
Tehrik-i-Taliban 2007 Noor Wali Mehsud [46][47][48]
Lashkar-e-Jhangvi None 1996
Lashkar-e-Omar None 2002 Qari Abdul Hai [49]
Sipah-e-Sahaba None 1985 Muhammad Ahmed Ludhianvi
 Palestine Army of Islam None 2006 Mumtaz Dughmush
Hamas Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades 1987 Ismail Haniyeh
Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine Al-Quds Squads 1987 Ziyad al-Nakhalah / Abd Al Aziz Awda
Popular Resistance Committees Abu Samhadana clan 2000 Ayman al-Shashniya
 Paraguay Armed Peasant Association (ACA) None Insurgency in Paraguay 2014
Army of Marshal López (Ejército del Mariscal López, EML) None
Paraguayan People's Army (EPP) None 2006 Osvaldo Villalba
 Peru Shining Path None Internal conflict in Peru 1960s Abimael Guzmán
 Philippines Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters None Civil conflict in the Philippines 2008 Ustadz Karialan
Communist Party of the Philippines New People's Army 1968 Benito Tiamzon [50]
Rajah Sulaiman Movement None 1991 Ahmed Santos [51][52]
 Senegal Casamance Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance None Casamance conflict 1982
 South Sudan Nuer White Army None Ethnic violence in South Sudan 1991 Bordoang Leah
South Sudan South Sudan Democratic Movement None 2010 John Uliny
South Sudan Liberation Movement None 1999 Peter Gadet
Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition None 2013 Riek Machar
 Sudan Alliance of Revolutionary Forces of West Sudan None War in Darfur 2006
Liberation and Justice Movement None 2010 Tijani Sese
National Movement for Reform and Development None 2004 Khalil Abdallah
National Redemption Front None 2006 Ahmed Diraige
Sudanese Awakening Revolutionary Council None 2014 Musa Hilal
Sudan Revolutionary Front 2011 Abdelaziz al-Hilu / Abdul Wahid al Nur / Gibril Ibrahim / Minni Minnawi
Janjaweed None 1987
Eastern Front None 2004 Musa Mohamed Ahmed
Rashaida Free Lions None 1999 Mabrouk Mubarak Salim
 Syria Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria Syrian civil war 2013 Îlham Ehmed / Mansur Selum
Revolutionary Commando Army None 2016 Muthanna Tala
Syrian Interim Government 2013 Anas al-Abdah
Syrian Salvation Government 2017 Ali Keda [53]
 Thailand Barisan Revolusi Nasional None South Thailand insurgency 1963
Gerakan Mujahidin Islam Patani None 1995 Nasoree Saesang
Islamic Liberation Front of Patani None 1947 Tengku Mahmud Mahyiddin / Tengku Abdul Jalal
Patani United Liberation Organisation None 1968
Runda Kumpulan Kecil None 2000 Rorhing Ahsong
 Tunisia Ansar al-Sharia None Insurgency in the Maghreb 2011
Okba Ibn Nafaa Brigade None
 Turkey Civil Protection Units None Kurdish–Turkish conflict 2015
Islamic Party of Kurdistan None 1979 Muhammad Salih Mustafa
Kurdistan Communities Union None 2005 Abdullah Öcalan
Kurdistan Freedom Hawks None 2004
Turkish Hezbollah None 1983 İsa Altsoy
Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist–Leninist (Maoist Party Centre) None Maoist insurgency in Turkey 1987
Great Eastern Islamic Raiders' Front None 1970
Peoples' United Revolutionary Movement 2016
Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front None 1994
Turkish Islamic Jihad None
 Uganda Uganda Coalition for Change (UCFC) None 2021 [54]
 United Kingdom Continuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA) None Dissident Irish republican campaign 1994 Continuity Army Council
Irish Republican Liberation Army None 2008
Orange Volunteers None 1998
Red Hand Defenders None 1998
Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA) None 1997 Army Council
Real Ulster Freedom Fighters None 2007
 Yemen Houthi movement Supreme Political Council 1994 Abdul-Malik Badreddin al-Houthi
South Yemen Southern Movement Southern Transitional Council 2007 Aidarus al-Zoubaidi

Groups that control territory

Main article: List of rebel 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.

See also

References

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