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{{Short description|Organization similar to, but not part of, a military}}
{{Distinguish|Paratrooper|Private army}} {{Distinguish|Paratrooper|Private army}}{{More citations needed|date=October 2022}}
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⚫ A '''paramilitary''' is a semi-militarized force whose organizational structure, tactics, training, subculture, and (often) function are similar to those of a professional ], but which is not included as part of a ] formal ].<ref name=Reference-OED-paramilitary>{{cite book| chapter=paramilitary| title=]| publisher=]| edition=3rd| orig-year=online edition; original published in June 2005 |date= June 2011| chapter-url=http://oed.com/search?searchType=dictionary&q=paramilitary| accessdate=2011-09-13| quote=Designating, of, or relating to a force or unit whose function and organization are analogous or ancillary to those of a professional military force, but which is not regarded as having professional or legitimate status.}}</ref>


], Edmonton Command, 1915 – a nationalist paramilitary group not officially affiliated with the ]]]
Under the ], a state may incorporate a paramilitary organization or armed agency (such as a ], a private volunteer ]) into its ] ]. The other parties to a conflict have to be notified thereof.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.icrc.org/customary-ihl/eng/docs/v2_rul_rule4_sectionb |title=Customary IHL - Section B. Incorporation of paramilitary or armed law enforcement agencies into armed forces |publisher=Icrc.org |date= |accessdate=2013-07-27}}</ref>


⚫ A '''paramilitary''' is a ] that is not a part of a country's official or legitimate armed forces.<ref name="Reference-OED-paramilitary">{{cite book |chapter=paramilitary |title=Oxford English Dictionary |publisher=] |edition=3rd |orig-year=online edition; original published in June 2005 |date= June 2011 |chapter-url=http://oed.com/search?searchType=dictionary&q=paramilitary |access-date=2011-09-13 |quote= Designating, of, or relating to a force or unit whose function and organization are analogous or ancillary to those of a professional military force, but which is not regarded as having professional or legitimate status. |title-link=Oxford English Dictionary}}</ref> The ] traces the use of the term "paramilitary" as far back as 1934.<ref>
Though a paramilitary is not a military force, it is usually equivalent to a military's ] force in terms of intensity, firepower, and organizational structure. A paramilitary may also commonly fall under the command of a military, even despite not being part of the military or play an assisting role for the military in times of war.
{{oed | paramilitary}}
</ref>


==Types== == Overview ==
Though a paramilitary is, by definition, not a ], it is usually equivalent to a ] or ] in terms of strength, firepower, and organizational structure.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-15 |title=Wider conflict feared as Sudan's army and rival paramilitary force clash in capital |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/wider-conflict-feared-as-sudans-army-and-rival-paramilitary-force-clash-in-capital |access-date=2023-07-28 |website=PBS NewsHour |language=en-us}}</ref> Paramilitaries use combat-capable kit/equipment (such as ]/]s), or even actual military equipment<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Böhmelt |first=Tobias |last2=Clayton |first2=Govinda |date=February 2018 |title=Auxiliary Force Structure: Paramilitary Forces and Progovernment Militias |url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0010414017699204 |journal=Comparative Political Studies |language=en |volume=51 |issue=2 |pages=197–237 |doi=10.1177/0010414017699204 |issn=0010-4140|hdl=10654/38817 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> (such as ] and ]; usually ] resources), skills (such as ] and ]), and tactics (such as ] and ]) that are compatible with their purpose, often combining them with skills from other relevant fields such as ], ], or ]. A paramilitary may fall under the command of a ], train alongside them, or have permission to use their resources, despite not actually being part of them.<ref name=":0" />
⚫ Depending on the standards used, "paramilitaries" may include:


== Legality ==
* ] forces: ]s, ]s, ]s, ]s, and so forth
Under the ], a state may incorporate a paramilitary organization or armed agency (such as a ] or a private volunteer ]) into its ] armed forces. Some countries' constitutions ].
* The auxiliary forces of a state's military: ], ], ], ]
* Some ], such as the ], or ]
* ]s, such as Egyptian ] and ]
* ]s, such as Russia's ]
* The United States' ],
⚫ * Security forces of ambiguous military status: ], ] or ]
* Semi-militarized law enforcement personnel, such as ] in the United States and a number of other countries
*Foreign volunteers
*Youth Military Cadet Organisations, such as ], ]
* In the ] and ], the term is often restricted to the various armed groups involved in the ], such as the ] or the ].


== Types ==
⚫ ===Examples of paramilitary units===
]" in central ] meeting with a German unit in 1941.]]
⚫ *]
⚫ Depending on the definition adopted, "paramilitaries" may include:
⚫ *]

⚫ <!--
=== Military organizations ===
⚫ Please do not add anymore examples.
* The ] of a state's military or government, ], such as ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ] forces
* ] and ]
* ] forces, such as ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ].

=== Law enforcement ===
* Semi-militarized law enforcement units within civilian police, such as ], ], ], and ]
* ]s, such as the French ], Dutch ], Egyptian ], European ], Turkic ], and Chilean ]
* ], such as the ], Indian ], ] ], and Turkish ]
⚫ * ] of ambiguous military status, such as ], ], and ]
* Branches of ] such as ] tasked with law enforcement, tactical support, or security operations, such as the ]'s ] and ], or the ]'s ]

=== Civil defense ===
* ]

=== Political ===
* Armed, semi-militarized wings of ] and similar political organizations.

⚫ == Examples of paramilitary units ==
⚫ {{Main list|List of paramilitary organizations|List of defunct paramilitary organizations}}
⚫ <!--
⚫ Please do not add any more examples.


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See ] for details. See ] for details.


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==See also== == See also ==
{{Portal|Military history}}
* ] * ]
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* ]
* ] * ]
* ] * ]
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* ] * ]
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* ] * ]
* ]
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⚫ * ]
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==References== == References ==
{{reflist}} {{Reflist}}


==Further reading== == Further reading ==
* Golkar, Saeid. (2012) , ], Vol. 38, No. 4 * Golkar, Saeid. (2012) , ], Vol. 38, No. 4
* Golkar, Saeid. (2012). Organization of the Oppressed or Organization for Oppressing: Analysing the Role of the Basij Militia of Iran. Politics, Religion & Ideology, Dec., 37–41. doi:10.1080/21567689.2012.725661 * Golkar, Saeid. (2012). Organization of the Oppressed or Organization for Oppressing: Analysing the Role of the Basij Militia of Iran. Politics, Religion & Ideology, Dec., 37–41. doi:10.1080/21567689.2012.725661
* {{cite book |last1=Üngör |first1=Uğur Ümit |author-link=Uğur Ümit Üngör |title=Paramilitarism: Mass Violence in the Shadow of the State |date=2020 |publisher=] |isbn=978-0-19-882524-1 |language=en}}


==External links== == External links ==
{{Wiktionary}} {{Wiktionary}}
{{Commons category|Paramilitary organizations}}
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{{Authority control}}
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Latest revision as of 11:08, 12 December 2024

Organization similar to, but not part of, a military Not to be confused with Paratrooper or Private army.
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Find sources: "Paramilitary" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (October 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Legion of Frontiersmen, Edmonton Command, 1915 – a nationalist paramilitary group not officially affiliated with the Canadian Army

A paramilitary is a military that is not a part of a country's official or legitimate armed forces. The Oxford English Dictionary traces the use of the term "paramilitary" as far back as 1934.

Overview

Though a paramilitary is, by definition, not a military, it is usually equivalent to a light infantry or special forces in terms of strength, firepower, and organizational structure. Paramilitaries use combat-capable kit/equipment (such as internal security/SWAT vehicles), or even actual military equipment (such as long guns and armored personnel carriers; usually military surplus resources), skills (such as battlefield medicine and bomb disposal), and tactics (such as urban warfare and close-quarters combat) that are compatible with their purpose, often combining them with skills from other relevant fields such as law enforcement, coast guard, or search and rescue. A paramilitary may fall under the command of a military, train alongside them, or have permission to use their resources, despite not actually being part of them.

Legality

Under the law of war, a state may incorporate a paramilitary organization or armed agency (such as a law enforcement agency or a private volunteer militia) into its combatant armed forces. Some countries' constitutions prohibit paramilitary organizations outside government use.

Types

A group of the "Forest Brothers" in central Estonia meeting with a German unit in 1941.

Depending on the definition adopted, "paramilitaries" may include:

Military organizations

Law enforcement

Civil defense

Political

  • Armed, semi-militarized wings of political parties and similar political organizations.

Examples of paramilitary units

For a more comprehensive list, see List of paramilitary organizations and List of defunct paramilitary organizations.

See also

References

  1. "paramilitary". Oxford English Dictionary (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. June 2011 . Retrieved 2011-09-13. Designating, of, or relating to a force or unit whose function and organization are analogous or ancillary to those of a professional military force, but which is not regarded as having professional or legitimate status.
  2. "paramilitary". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  3. "Wider conflict feared as Sudan's army and rival paramilitary force clash in capital". PBS NewsHour. 2023-04-15. Retrieved 2023-07-28.
  4. ^ Böhmelt, Tobias; Clayton, Govinda (February 2018). "Auxiliary Force Structure: Paramilitary Forces and Progovernment Militias". Comparative Political Studies. 51 (2): 197–237. doi:10.1177/0010414017699204. hdl:10654/38817. ISSN 0010-4140.

Further reading

External links

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