List of paramilitary organizations
wikimedia list

Paramilitary is a military force 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.
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.
List of governmental paramilitary organizations
Africa
Egypt
Central Security Forces
Libya (Libyan House of Representatives)
Avengers of Blood
Mauritius
Special Mobile Force
Nigeria
Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS)
Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC)
Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps
Safety and Traffic Cadet Corps
Federal Fire Service
Nigeria Correctional Service
Nigeria Customs Service
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency
Department of State Services
Sudan
Janjaweed (~197x - 2020 but continues in successors units)
Rapid Support Forces (2013 partially Janjaweed successor till 2023)
Popular Defence Forces
Somaliland
SSB
Americas
Canada
Canadian Rangers
The Emergency Response Team (RCMP)
Marine Emergency Response Team
Costa Rica
The Public Force of Costa Rica is responsible for law enforcement duties, acting as both a civilian police force and gendarmerie. In addition to ordinary policing, it is responsible for border patrol, counter-insurgency, riot control, tourism security, and coast guard duties.
Peru
The Rondas campesinas are community-based groups in Peru, formed initially to combat cattle rustling and later in response to the Shining Path insurgency. They function primarily as local self-defense and law enforcement entities, especially in rural areas with limited government presence.
United States
CIA Special Activities Center, Special Operations Group
DOE Federal Protective Forces
DOE Office of Secure Transportation
FBI SWAT
FBI Hostage Rescue Team
United States Marshals Service
National Lancers
SWAT
ICE
USSS (United States Secret Service)
Venezuela
Venezuelan National Guard
Bolivarian Militia of Venezuela
Asia
Bangladesh
China (People's Republic of China)
Taiwan (Republic of China)
Hong Kong
India
Indonesia
Japan
North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea)
South Korea (Republic of Korea)
Malaysia
Pasukan Gerakan Am as Paramilitary Force
People's Volunteer Corps of Ministry of Home Affairs
69 Komando PGK as Multi Spectrum Special Force
Nepal
Pakistan
Civil Armed Forces- (Under the Federal Ministry of interior during Peace time but falls under the Ministry of Defense during war time. Led by officers from the Pakistani Military)
Pakistan Rangers (Punjab and Sindh)
Frontier Corps (Kpk and Balochistan)
Gilgit Baltistan Scouts
Paramilitary forces under the Ministry of Defense
Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA)
Pakistan Coast Guard
Defense Security Force
Pakistan National Guard – Mujahid Force and Janbaaz Force
Federal Law Enforcement Agencies (solely under the federal ministry of Interior and led by the officers of the Police Service of Pakistan):
Frontier Constabulary
Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)
Anti-Narcotics Force
Airports Security Force
National Highways & Motorway Police
Pakistan Railways Police
Philippines
Sri Lanka
Thailand
Vietnam
Vietnam Militia and Self-Defence Force
Europe
Albania
RENEA
Estonia
Estonian Defence League
Finland
Border Guard
Police Rapid Response Unit
France
Action Division of DGSE
National Gendarmerie
Marseille Naval Fire Battalion of the French Navy
Paris Fire Brigade of the French Army
Georgia
Mkhedrioni
Monadire
Italy
Lithuania
Lithuanian Riflemen's Union
State Border Guard Service
Public Security Service
Netherlands
Special Intervention Service
Poland
BOA KGP
Portugal
Guarda Nacional Republicana (National Republican Guard)
Russia
Paramilitary security in Russia
Registered Cossacks of the Russian Federation
Kadyrovtsy
Fakel (allegedly)
Wagner Group (since 2023)
Redut (since 2022)
Africa Corps
Turkey
Village Guards
Ukraine
Noman Çelebicihan Battalion
Freedom of Russia Legion
Sheikh Mansur Battalion (since 2022)
United Kingdom
The London Metropolitan Police Specialist Firearms Command CO19.
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