The list of militias in the Lebanese Civil War does not include the "legal" Lebanese Army; note that the Army split into two major parts: The Christian-led "legal" Lebanese Army favoured the Lebanese Front government The Muslim "Lebanese Arab Army" fought for the rival Lebanese National Movement government
In addition, there was an autonomous faction within the "legal" Lebanese Army called the Army of Free Lebanon. It formed in 1976 and was composed of Maronites and Greek-Catholics reacting against the split with the mainly Muslim Lebanese Arab Army. It continued to be paid by the government, and was fully re-integrated into the "legal" army in 1978, with the exception of some units which chose instead to form the South Lebanon Army listed below.
List
Lebanese Front and other right-wing factions MilitiaFightersTimeDemographicNotesLebanese Forces10,000-15,0001976-1990MaroniteInitially an umbrella organization for Maronite party militias; became an independent power structure in the year 1992.Army of Free Lebanon3,0001976-1978ChristianDissident faction of the Lebanese ArmyTyous Team of Commandos1001975-1985MaroniteZahloite Group5001975-1978ChristianFormed by a middle-class man against local feudal clansKataeb Regulatory Forces10,000-15,0001961-1984MaroniteKataeb Security Sections1,0001976-1984MaroniteThe Kataeb party's "police militia". First commander was Bashir GemayelVanguard of the Maani Army2001976-1978DruzeMaronite League2001952-currentMaroniteA military wing was formed in 1975 for the organization of Lebanese Christian Maronite notablesYoung Men1001976-1986ChristianVery loosely organised militiaTigers Militia3,5001968-1980MaroniteThe organization was first aligned with the LF disbanded during the inter-Christian conflictsZgharta Liberation Army2,400-3,5001967-1991MaroniteOperated around its power-base in northern Lebanon; pro-Syrian after 1978Popular Revolutionary Resistance Organization Lebanese Liberation FrontUnknown1987ChristianSecretive underground party regarded as extremist. All names are believed to be the same organization.Guardians of the Cedars6,0001975-1990MaroniteFounder currently lives in exileLebanese Youth Movement500-1,0001975-1977MaroniteFounded by right-wing Maronite university students.Sons of the SouthUnknown1983-1995ChristianUsually operated in the Jabal Amel region close to the Israeli-controlled 'Security Zone'South Lebanon Army5,0001977-2000SecularBased itself in Saad Haddad's unrecognized State of Free Lebanon.Assyrian BattalionUnknown1980AssyrianVery little is known about the militiaAl-Tanzim1,5001969-1990MaroniteSecretive, was possibly linked to the Lebanese Army
LNM/LNRF and other left-wing factions MilitiaFightersOperationDemographicNotesLebanese Arab Army4,4001976-1977SunniBroke away from Lebanese Army; considered itself the legitimate Lebanese Army and at highpoint controlled 3/4 of Lebanese Army positionsThe-Assad Battalion2,0001953-1991SunniSyrian Ba'ath group in LebanonArab Communist OrganizationUnknown1969-1977SecularThe group focused mainly on bomb attacks and extortion attempts targeting American and British civilian and economic interests in LebanonArab Red Knights/Arab Cavalier Force1,000-1,5001981-1990AlawitePro-Syrian; small but received very considerable support from Syria's Alawite leader; eventually controlled Tripoli harbour. Funded and trained by Rifat al Asaad. Military wing of the Arab Democratic Party.Zafer el-Khatib Forces200-500Traboulsi, Identités et solidarités croisées dans les conflits du Liban contemporain; Chapitre 12: L'économie politique des milices: le phénomène mafieux (2007), page unknown.1975-1991Barak, The Lebanese Army – A National institution in a divided society (2009), p. 173.SunniEstablished a close relationship with the Shia Amal Movement, Military wing of the Toilers LeagueKurdish Democratic PartyUnknown1985-1990KurdishJoined forces with the Razkari Party to form the Progressive Kurdish FrontPeople's Liberation Army17,0001975-1994DruzePower base in the Chouf and controlled its own cantonCommunist Action Organization in Lebanon150-200Makdisi and Sadaka, The Lebanese Civil War, 1975-1990 (2003), p. 44, Table 1: War Period Militias.1973-1980sSecularLebanese Armed Revolutionary Factions301979-1988SecularLebanese Resistance Regiments (AMAL)16,0001975-1991Shi'aMilitia created with Fatah supportIslamic Unification Movement1,0001982-1991SunniThe militia had strong involvement in Tripoli and South Lebanon.Islamic Jihad for the Liberation of PalestineUnknown1987Shi'aClaimed responsibility for the abduction of three American and one Indian professors from Beirut University College.New York Times, January 25, 1987, March 19, 1987. A9, September 28, 1988. A9New York Times, March 19, 1987. A9, September 28, 1988. A9Islamic Resistance5,0001983-1991Shi'aEvolved from Amal in early 1980s, initially as Iranian proxyIslamic Jihad Organization4001983-1992Shi'aClaimed responsibility for many attacks and kidnapping against the United StatesIslamic AmalUnknown1982-1987Shi'aThe movement got its start in June 1982 when Nabih Berri, the head of Amal, agreed to participate in the Salvation CommitteeNational Liberation Army500-10001975-1980sSunniThe military wing of the Popular Nasserist OrganizationSixth of February Movement1501975-1986SunniTrained by the Palestine Liberation Organization.Stork, Joe. "The War of the Camps, The War of the Hostages" in MERIP Reports, No. 133. (June 1985), pp. 3–7, 22.Arab Socialist Action Party – LebanonUnknown1969-1980sSecularThe party was founded by George Habash in 1969 and was closely linked to the PFLP, which Habash also led.Lebanon: The Fragmented Nation p.171The Republic of Lebanon: Nation in Jeopardy p.89Najjadeh Party1001975-1976SecularA party which emerged during the French era. Popular Guard5,0001970-1990SecularSecular, but most members nominally from Eastern Orthodox & Oriental Orthodox communitiesLebanese Forces – Executive Command1,0001986-1991ChristianA splinter group from the Lebanese Forces led by Elie Hobeika based in ZahleFree Tigers2001980-1981ChristianDissident splinter group of the NLP Tigers after the forced merger with the Lebanese FrontSSNP militia10,0001975-1990SecularAdvocated union with Syria; 1976 split into pro- and anti-Assad factions members linked to assassinations of Jumblatt and GemayelNasser's ForcesUnknown1975-1990Almodon. خمسة أحزاب انتهت في الحربSunniThe party and its military wing were supported financially and militarily by the Libyan government.Nasserist Unionists MovementUnknown1982-1991SunniSplinter faction of the INM/Al-MourabitounAl-Mourabitoun3,0001975-1985SunniVictory Divisions1,0001975-1978MuslimPro-Syrian, military wing of the Union of Working People's ForcesBa'ath militiasUnknown1975-1990SecularSplit into two rival Ba'ath militias, one pro-Iraqi, the other pro-SyrianSocialist Arab Lebanon Vanguard Party25001966-1991secularIraqi Ba'ath group in LebanonLebanese Movement in Support of FatahUnknownUnknownSunniLMSF received Fatah backing from the outset and joined the ranks of the Lebanese National Movement (LNM)United Nasserite Organization50-1001986-1991SunniSuspected to be merely a cover for the National Revolutionary Command (Omar al-Mukhtar)
Unaffiliated groups MilitiaFightersOperationDemographicNotesLebanese Armed Forces50,0001945-currentSecularHad numerous splinter groups and different leaderships throughout the war Front for the Liberation of Lebanon from ForeignersUnknown1980sSecularObscure underground militant organization covertly formed by Israel in Lebanon in the early 1980s to undermine Palestinian and Syrian forcesSoldiers of the RightUnknown1988-1989MuslimAn unknown underground group which claimed responsibility for multiple kidnappings and murders in Europe and LebanonLiberation BattalionUnknown1987-1988SecularOrganization dedicated to attacking Syrian Army in Lebanon during the 1980s. Suspected to have relations to both LF and HezbollahM.U.R.Unknown1991-1994Secularliberation armed group fighting Lebanon's occupation by foreign armies in the 1990sRazkari PartyUnknown1975-currentKurdish
Foreign groups MilitiaFightersOperationNotesPalestinianAbu Nidal OrganizationUnknown1974-1997A breakaway from Fatah led by Abu NidalFatah70001965-presentFatah became the dominant force in Palestinian politics after the Six-Day War in 1967.Fatah al-Intifada35001983–presentSplinter group of FatahPLFP-GC20001968-presentSyrian-backed splinter group from the Popular Front for the Liberation of PalestinePFLP20001967–presentAfter the Six-Day War of June 1967PNSFUnknown1985-1991Mostly participated in the War of the CampsPPSP2001967–presentSupported by Syria and LibyaAs-Sa'iqa45001966–presentUsed by Syria as a proxy force in the Palestinian movementRevolutionary Palestinian Communist PartyUnknown1982–presentTook part in the armed resistance against the Israeli invasion in LebanonDFLP25001968–presentArmenianArmenian Revolutionary FederationUnknown1975-1991ARF affiliates took arms to defend their neighbourhoodsASALAUnknown1975-1991Committed many terrorist attacks internationallyJustice Commandos of the Armenian GenocideUnknown1975-1987Committed many murders during the war both in Lebanon and internationally. Military wing of the Armenian Revolutionary FederationOtherJapanese Red Army401971–2001The JRA had close ties with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and Wadie Haddad.Jihadi Wing2000+1979-2003Responsible for the Iraqi embassy bombing in BeirutKurdistan Workers' PartyUnknown1980-1984Was involved in attacks against Israel after their expulsion from Turkey and relocation to the Beqaa Valley.State militariesIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps20000+1982The IRGC allegedly sent troops to train fighters in response to the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon.Israel780001978-2000Funded right-wing militia groups throughout the war. Invaded Lebanon in 1978 and in 1982.Saudi Arabia32001976-1979Part of the Arab Deterrent ForceSudan10001976-1979Part of the Arab Deterrent ForceUnited Arab Emirates15001976-1979Part of the Arab Deterrent ForceLibya20001976Part of the Arab Deterrent Force and state funder of leftist militiasSouth Yemen10001976-1977Part of the Arab Deterrent ForceSyria350001976-1991Invaded Lebanon in 1976, part of the Arab Deterrent Force
See also Lebanese Armed Forces Lebanese Civil War List of armed groups in the Syrian Civil War List of weapons of the Lebanese Civil War
References