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 stateRebel groupConflictControl
since		Territory controlledNotesHeadquarters
Multinational:


Mali War
Somali Civil War
Yemeni Civil War		2006 Parts of central and northern Mali
Parts of southern and eastern Somalia
Parts of Hadhramaut Governorate and Abyan Governorate.		Tinzaouaten
Jilib
Multinational:




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.
Around pocket in Homs Governorate
Several villages in Bari region
Around pocket in Al Bayda Governorate		Designated a terrorist organization by the United NationsUnknown
TalibanWar in Afghanistan1996 40% of AfghanistanTaliban controlled territory is also shared with Uzbek Islamists.Quetta
- Anglophone Crisis2019Several villages in Lebialem department of Southwest Province in Cameroon.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
ex-SélékaCentral African Republic Civil War2012Northern and eastern parts of CAR. See Various groupsDepending on group
Republic of LogoneCentral African Republic Civil War2015Northern CARKaga-Bandoro
Mai-MaiKivu conflict2015Parts of north-eastern Democratic Republic of the CongoVarious groupsDepending on group
Nduma Defense of Congo-RenouveauKivu conflict2015Big parts of North Kivu provincePinga
Mali War2012Parts of northern MaliKidal
Rebel Zapatista Autonomous MunicipalitiesChiapas conflict1994Parts of northern Chiapas.Established various de facto autonomous socialist regions.Oventik
Kachin conflict2011Parts of Kachin State in northern Myanmar.Military wing of Kachin Independence OrganisationLaiza
United Wa State ArmyInternal conflict in Myanmar1989Northeastern Myanmar; Wa Self-Administered Division.Military wing of the United Wa State PartyPangkham
SPLM-IOSouth Sudanese Civil War2013Territories west of Bentiu, Unity.Ceasefire since 22 February 2020Juba
Sudan Revolutionary FrontSudan–SRF conflict2011Parts of South Kordofan state and Blue Nile state.Kauda
Hayat Tahrir al-ShamSyrian Civil War2017Large portion of Idlib Governorate in North West Syria.Faction within the Syrian Civil War that is in opposition to the Syrian government.Idlib
Revolutionary Commando ArmySyrian Civil War2016Small pocket in the Syrian Desert adjacent to the Jordanian border and the Iraqi border.Faction within the Syrian Civil War that is in opposition to the Syrian government and in alignment with the United States.Al-Tanf
Syrian Civil War2011Territories 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 ArmySyrian Civil War2017Border areas of Northern Syria.Faction within the Syrian Civil War that is in opposition to the Syrian government and in alignment with Turkey.Azaz
War in Donbass2014Parts of the Donetsk region in Eastern Ukraine.Declared independence on 7 April 2014. Recognition of this group as an independent state has been granted by the partially-recognised state of South Ossetia.Donetsk
War in Donbass2014Parts of the Luhansk region in Eastern Ukraine.Declared independence on 12 May 2014. Recognition of this group as an independent state has been granted by the partially-recognised state of South Ossetia.Luhansk
Yemeni Civil War2017 Some of the territory in South YemenAden
Supreme Political Council - Yemeni Civil War2004 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, 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

Haqqani Network

Algeria

China

Colombia

GroupStrength
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
80,000–100,000
Supreme Command for Jihad and Liberation100,000
Army of the Men of the Naqshbandi Order5,000
Islamic Army of Iraq10,000
General Military Council for Iraqi Revolutionaries

Ireland

  • Continuity Irish Republican Army: 1994–present
  • Real IRA: 1997–present

    Italy

  • Informal Anarchist Federation

    Lebanon

  • Hezbollah
  • Al-Qaeda
  • Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant

    Libya

  • Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries
  • Rafallah al-Sahati Brigade
  • New General National Congress
  • Zintan Brigade
  • Brigade 93
  • Toubou Front for the Salvation of Libya

    Mali

    • GroupStrength
    National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad10,000
    Ansar Dine2,000
    Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa
    al-Qaeda
    		800
    Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
  • Boko Haram
    • Ansar al-Sharia

    Mexico

  • Popular Revolutionary Army
  • Zapatista Army of National Liberation

    Mozambique

  • Renamo
  • Ansar al-Sunna

    Myanmar (Burma)

    • Main source: .
    GroupStrength
    Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
    		15,000
    Ansaru
    Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta15,000
    Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force
    Niger Delta Liberation Front2,500
    Niger Delta Avengers1,800
    Biafra Avengers200
    Red Egbesu Water Lions500
    Asawana Deadly Force of Niger Delta 350
    Adaka Biafra Marine Commandos100
    Utorogun Liberation Movement 57
    Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force150
    Fulani herdsmen24000
    Joint Revolutionary Council of the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force 2000
    Red Scorpion150
    Ultimate Warriors of Niger Delta85
    Niger Delta Red Squad400
    Niger Delta Vigilante4,000

    Pakistan

  • Baloch Republican Army
  • Balochistan Liberation Army
  • Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan
  • Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
  • Lashkar-e-Islam
  • Lashkar-e-Jhangvi
  • Sipah-e-Sahaba
  • Lashkar-e-Omar

    Palestine

  • Hamas
  • * Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades
  • Palestinian Islamic Jihad
  • * Al-Quds Squads
  • Popular Resistance Committees
  • * Abu Samhadana clan
  • Army of Islam
  • Fatah Revolutionary Council
  • Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant

    Paraguay

  • Paraguayan People's Army
  • Armed Peasant Association
  • Army of Marshal López

    Peru

    • Philippines

    Main coalitions
    GroupStrength
    Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
    		50,000
    Islamic Front
  • Jaysh al-Islam
  • Ahrar ash-Sham
    		• 50,000
    People's Protection Units
  • Women's Protection Units
    		• 47,000
    40,000
    al-Qaeda
    		15,000
    Authenticity and Development Front
  • Jaysh Usud al-Sharqiya
    		• 13,000
    Jabhat al-Akrad7,000
    Levant Front
  • Fastaqim Kama Umirt
    • Abdullah Azzam Brigade
    Sutoro
    Syriac Military Council
    Shammar
    Asayish

    Thailand

  • Barisan Revolusi Nasional
  • Gerakan Mujahidin Islam Patani
  • Islamic Liberation Front of Patani
  • Jemaah Islamiyah
  • Patani United Liberation Organisation
  • Runda Kumpulan Kecil

    Tunisia

  • * Wilayat Tarabulus
  • Ansar al-Sharia
  • Al-Qaeda
  • * Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb
  • Okba Ibn Nafaa Brigade

    Turkey

  • Civil Protection Units
  • Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist–Leninist
  • Great Eastern Islamic Raiders' Front
  • Islamic Party of Kurdistan
  • * Dokumacılar
  • Kurdistan Communities Union
  • Kurdistan Freedom Hawks
  • Peoples' United Revolutionary Movement
  • * Communist Labour Party of Turkey/Leninist
  • * Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist–Leninist
  • * Devrimci Karargâh
  • * Kurdistan Workers' Party
  • ** People's Defence Forces
  • ** Free Women's Units
  • ** YDG-H
  • * Maoist Communist Party
  • * Marxist–Leninist Communist Party
  • * Marxist–Leninist Armed Propaganda Unit
  • Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front
  • Turkish Hezbollah
  • Turkish Islamic Jihad

    Uganda

  • Lord's Resistance Army.
  • Allied Democratic Forces

    Ukraine

    • GroupStrength
    Donetsk People's Republic
    Luhansk People's Republic    		10,000–20,000

    United Kingdom