List of active rebel groups

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 stateRebel groupSubgroups / AffiliatesConflictYear EstablishedLeaderReferences
Multinational:
 Democratic Republic of the Congo
 Uganda
Allied Democratic Forces (ADF)None1996Musa 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-Qaeda1988Saif 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 of Iraq and the Levant1999Abu al-Hasan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi[5][6][7][8][9]
Multinational:
 Afghanistan
 Iran
 Pakistan
 Syria
 Tajikistan
Jama'at al-Jihad al-IslamiNone2002
Multinational:
 Indonesia
 Malaysia
 Philippines
 Singapore
 Thailand
Jemaah IslamiyahNone1993Abu Bakar Baasyir
Multinational:
 Iraq
 Iran
 Syria
 Turkey
Kurdistan Workers' Party1978Abdullah Öcalan
Multinational:
 Central African Republic
 Democratic Republic of the Congo
 South Sudan
 Uganda
Lord's Resistance ArmyNone1987Joseph Kony[10]
 Afghanistan Hezb-e-Islami GulbuddinNoneAfghanistan conflict1975Gulbuddin Hekmatyar[11][12]
Fidai MahazNone2013Mullah Najibullah
National Resistance Front of AfghanistanNone2021Ahmad Massoud
Warriors of KhazaristanNone2021[13]
 Angola Republic of CabindaFLECCabinda War1975António Bento Bembe
 Burkina Faso Ansar ul IslamNoneInsurgency in the Maghreb2016Abdoul Salam Dicko
 Cameroon  AmbazoniaList of Ambazonian militant groupsAnglophone Crisis2017Samuel Ikome Sako
 Central African Republic Coalition of Patriots for ChangeCentral African Republic Civil War2020François Bozizé (alleged)
Movement of Central African Liberators for JusticeNone2008Toumou Deya Gilbert
 ChileCoordinadora Arauco-MallecoLafkenche Mapuche Resistance[14]Mapuche conflict1998Héctor Llaitul
Weichán Auka MapuNone2011Collective leadership
 China East Turkestan Islamic MovementNoneXinjiang conflict1988Abdullah Mansour
 ColombiaAutodefensas Gaitanistas de ColombiaNone2001Dario Antonio Úsuga
Indigenous Revolutionary Armed Forces of the PacificNone
National Liberation Army (ELN)None1964Antonio Garcia[15]
Popular Liberation Army (EPL)None1967
FARC dissidentsNone2016Gentil "Cabuyo" Duarte
 Democratic Republic of the CongoBundu dia Kongo (BDK)None1986Ne Muanda Nsemi
CODECONone1970s
Coordination for a Referendum on Self-determination for Katanga (CORAK)None
Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR)None2000
Kamwina Nsapu militiaNone
Mai-MaiNone1960s
Mai Mai Kata KatangaNone2011
Mai Mai GédéonNone
Mai Mai ShekaNone
Mai-Mai SimbaNone
Mai Mai YakutumbaNone
March 27 Movement (M27)None
National Coalition of the People for the Sovereignty of CongoNone2017William Yakutumba
Nationalist and Integrationist Front (FNI)None2005Peter Karim Udaga
NyaturaNone
Patriotic Resistance Front of Ituri (FRPI)None2002Cobra Matata
Popular Front for Justice in the Congo (FPJC)None2008David Mbadu
Progressive Katanga Congress (CPK)None
Raia MutombokiNone2005Isaac Chirambiza
RUD-UrunanaNone
Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC)None2001Bosco Ntaganda
March 23 MovementNone2012Bertrand Bisimwa
 EgyptAl Furqan BrigadesNone2013
Ansar al-ShariaNone2012Ahmed Ashush
Egyptian Islamic JihadNone1979Sayyed Imam Al-Sharif
Hasm MovementNone2015
Soldiers of EgyptNone2013
 Ethiopia Oromo Liberation ArmyOromo conflict2020Kumsa Diriba
Tigray People's Liberation FrontTigray Defense ForcesTigray War1975Debretsion Gebremichael
 FranceComité Régional d'Action Viticole (CRAV)None1907
 GreeceBlack StarNone
Conspiracy of Fire NucleiNone2008
Popular Fighters GroupNone2013
Revolutionary StruggleNone2003
Sect of RevolutionariesNone2009
 IndiaHizbul MujahideenDukhtaran-e-Milat[16]Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir1989Sayeed Salahudeen[17][18]
Jaish-e-Mohammed• Lashkar-e-Mustafa[19]

• Kashmir Tigers[20]

2000Masood Azhar[21]
Lashkar-e-TaibaNone1986Hafiz Muhammad Saeed[22]
United Jihad CouncilNone1994
National Socialist Council of NagalandNoneInsurgency in Northeast India1980Thuingaleng Muivah
United Liberation Front of AsomNone1979[23]
Communist Party of India (Maoist)NoneNaxalite–Maoist insurgency2004Nambala Keshava Rao[24]
Maoist Communist Party of ManipurNone2011
International Sikh Youth FederationNone1987Lakhbir Singh Rode[25]
Khalistan Zindabad ForceNone1988Ranjit Singh Neeta[15]
Students' Islamic Movement of IndiaNone1977[26]
 Indonesia East Indonesia Mujahideen (MIT)None2010Ali Kalora
Free Papua MovementNonePapua conflict1963Mathias Wenda
Jamaah Ansharusy Syariah (JAS)None
Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD)None
Jamaah Ansharut Tauhid (JAT)None2008Abu Bakar Ba'asyir
Jemaah Islamiyah (JI)None1993[27]
South MoluccasNone1950
 Iran Democratic Party of Iranian KurdistanNoneWestern Iran clashes1945Mustafa Hijri
Komala Party of Iranian KurdistanNone2000Abdullah Mohtadi
Kurdistan Freedom PartyNone1991Hussein Yazdanpanah
Kurdistan Free Life PartyNone2004Abdul Rahman Haji Ahmadi
Jaish ul-AdlNoneInsurgency in Balochistan2012Salahuddin Farooqui
Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of AhvazNoneKhuzestan conflict2005Habib Jabor / Saddam Hattem
Communist Party of Iran (Marxist–Leninist–Maoist)None2001
People's Mujahedin of IranNone1965Maryam Rajavi
 IraqArmy of the Men of the Naqshbandi OrderNoneInsurgency in Iraq2006Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri
 IrelandContinuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA)NoneDissident Irish republican campaign1994Continuity Army Council
Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA)None1997Army Council
 ItalyInformal Anarchist FederationNone2003
 Libya Brigade 93NoneLibyan Crisis (2011–present)2012Salem al-Aawar
Green ResistanceNone2014
Rafallah al-Sahati BrigadeNone
Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries2014Mustafa al-Sharksi
Toubou Front for the Salvation of LibyaNone2007Issa Abdel Majid Mansur
Zintan BrigadesNone2011Kalifah Shahub
 Mali Ansar al-ShariaNoneMali War2012
National Movement for the Liberation of AzawadNone2011Bilal Ag Acherif[28]
 Mexico Popular Revolutionary ArmyNone1996Edmundo Reyes[29]
Zapatista Army of National LiberationNoneChiapas conflict1983[30]
 Mozambique Ansar al-SunnaNoneInsurgency in Cabo Delgado2015
 Myanmar All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF)NoneInternal conflict in Myanmar1988Than Khae
DKBA-5None2010Saw Mo Shay[31]
Shan State Army - South (SSA-S)None1996Yawd Serk[32]
United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC)2011Nai Hong Sar[33][34]
United Wa State ArmyNone1989Bao Youxiang
 Nigeria Indigenous People of BiafraEastern Security NetworkInsurgency in Southeastern Nigeria2012Nnamdi Kanu
Adaka Biafra Marine CommandosNoneConflict in the Niger Delta[35]
Asawana Deadly Force of Niger Delta (ADFND)None[36]
Biafra AvengersNone[37]
Joint Niger Delta Liberation ForceNone[38]
Joint Revolutionary Council of the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force (JNDLF)None[39]
Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger DeltaNone2004Henry Okah
Niger Delta AvengersNone2016[40]
Niger Delta People's Volunteer ForceNone2004
Niger Delta Red SquadNone[41]
Red Egbesu Water LionsNone[42]
Red ScorpionNone[43]
Utorogun Liberation Movement (ULM)None[44]
Ultimate Warriors of Niger DeltaNone[45]
AnsaruNoneIslamist insurgency in Nigeria2012
Fulani herdsmenNoneHerder–farmer conflicts in Nigeria1999[46]
 Pakistan Baloch Republican ArmyNoneInsurgency in Balochistan2007Brahumdagh Bugti[47]
Balochistan Liberation ArmyNone2000Hyrbyair Marri
Jaish ul-AdlNone2012Salahuddin Farooqui
Lashkar-e-IslamNoneInsurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa2004Mangal Bagh[48]
Tehrik-i-Taliban2007Noor Wali Mehsud[49][50][51]
Lashkar-e-JhangviNone1996
Lashkar-e-OmarNone2002Qari Abdul Hai[52]
Sipah-e-SahabaNone1985Muhammad Ahmed Ludhianvi
 PalestineArmy of IslamNone2006Mumtaz Dughmush
HamasIzz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades1987Ismail Haniyeh
Islamic Jihad Movement in PalestineAl-Quds Squads1987Ziyad al-Nakhalah / Abd Al Aziz Awda
Popular Resistance CommitteesAbu Samhadana clan2000Ayman al-Shashniya
 Paraguay Armed Peasant Association (ACA)NoneInsurgency in Paraguay2014
Army of Marshal López (Ejército del Mariscal López, EML)None
Paraguayan People's Army (EPP)None2006Osvaldo Villalba
 Peru Shining PathNoneInternal conflict in Peru1960sAbimael Guzmán
 Philippines Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom FightersNoneCivil conflict in the Philippines2008Ustadz Karialan
Communist Party of the PhilippinesNew People's Army1968Benito Tiamzon[53]
Rajah Sulaiman MovementNone1991Ahmed Santos[54][55]
 Senegal Movement of Democratic Forces of CasamanceNoneCasamance conflict1982
 South Sudan Nuer White ArmyNoneEthnic violence in South Sudan1991Bordoang Leah
South Sudan Democratic MovementNone2010John Uliny
South Sudan Liberation MovementNone1999Peter Gadet
Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-OppositionNone2013Riek Machar
 SudanAlliance of Revolutionary Forces of West SudanNoneWar in Darfur2006
Liberation and Justice MovementNone2010Tijani Sese
National Movement for Reform and DevelopmentNone2004Khalil Abdallah
National Redemption FrontNone2006Ahmed Diraige
Sudanese Awakening Revolutionary CouncilNone2014Musa Hilal
Sudan Revolutionary Front2011Abdelaziz al-Hilu / Abdul Wahid al Nur / Gibril Ibrahim / Minni Minnawi
JanjaweedNone1987
Eastern FrontNone2004Musa Mohamed Ahmed
Rashaida Free LionsNone1999Mabrouk Mubarak Salim
 Syria Autonomous Administration of North and East SyriaSyrian civil war2013Îlham Ehmed / Mansur Selum
Revolutionary Commando ArmyNone2016Muthanna Tala
Syrian Interim Government2013Anas al-Abdah
Syrian Salvation Government2017Ali Keda[56]
 Thailand Barisan Revolusi NasionalNoneSouth Thailand insurgency1963
Gerakan Mujahidin Islam PataniNone1995Nasoree Saesang
Islamic Liberation Front of PataniNone1947Tengku Mahmud Mahyiddin / Tengku Abdul Jalal
Patani United Liberation OrganisationNone1968
Runda Kumpulan KecilNone2000Rorhing Ahsong
 Tunisia Ansar al-ShariaNoneInsurgency in the Maghreb2011
Okba Ibn Nafaa BrigadeNone
 Turkey Civil Protection UnitsNoneKurdish–Turkish conflict2015
Islamic Party of KurdistanNone1979Muhammad Salih Mustafa
Kurdistan Communities UnionNone2005Abdullah Öcalan
Kurdistan Freedom HawksNone2004
Turkish HezbollahNone1983İsa Altsoy
Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist–Leninist (Maoist Party Centre)NoneMaoist insurgency in Turkey1987
Great Eastern Islamic Raiders' FrontNone1970
Peoples' United Revolutionary Movement2016
Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/FrontNone1994
Turkish Islamic JihadNone
 UgandaUganda Coalition for Change (UCFC)None2021[57]
 United KingdomContinuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA)NoneDissident Irish republican campaign1994Continuity Army Council
Irish Republican Liberation ArmyNone2008
Orange VolunteersNone1998
Red Hand DefendersNone1998
Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA)None1997Army Council
Real Ulster Freedom FightersNone2007
 Yemen Houthi movementSupreme Political Council1994Abdul-Malik Badreddin al-Houthi
Southern MovementSouthern Transitional Council2007Aidarus al-Zoubaidi

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