Pro-government militias are organized, armed groups that support governments without being part of the formal security apparatus. Whether it’s in the Balkan countries, Afghanistan, or many Arabic countries – they are often involved in armed conflicts and have considerable influence on the situation of civilians and the prospects for peace in conflict regions. Until now, there was no global overview of the number, impact, and history of these groups. With the first ever global online catalogue of pro-government militias, political scientist Sabine Carey, PhD, of Mannheim provides an extensive research tool – not only for the academic community, but also for the media as well as the interested public.
As an example, when was the Syrian Shabiha group formed? Did it exist before the Syrian civil war started? And where does the Iranian Revolutionary Guard get their weapons? How long has this group existed and what is its relationship with the country’s civilians? The guidebook contains information on the traits, behavior, history, and form of organization of 504 pro-government militias worldwide between 1981-2014.