Portuguese irregular forces in the Overseas War


In various theaters of operations in the Portuguese Colonial War arose at the outset the need to create various types of irregular forces to help the Portuguese Armed Forces.
These irregular forces were usually held at the local level of Theater of Operations and included various types in terms of origin and dependence: militias of white settlers, native militias and forces, foreign forces from exile, forces of ex-guerrillas, dependent forces the Civil Administration, forces dependent on the armed forces and forces dependent on the PIDE.
Officially the totality of these forces was known by Auxiliary Forces. In Portuguese Guinea, General Spínola introduced the term African Force to designate the irregular forces composed of natives of the province.
In Theater of Operations, the main irregular forces were as follows:

Portuguese Angola