This is a list of left-wing rebel groups around the world. These groups are seeking change through armed conflict or illegal protest in opposition to an established government. This list does not contain those legal armed forces in communist states.
List of active groups[]
All groups still engaging in armed struggle today.
| Country | Group | Strength | Official Ideology |
|---|---|---|---|
| International | Animal Liberation Front | Animal rights | |
| Earth Liberation Front | Environmentalism | ||
 Afghanistan
|
Afghanistan Liberation Organization | Maoism | |
| Communist (Maoist) Party of Afghanistan | Marxism–Leninism–Maoism | ||
 Bhutan
|
Bhutan Communist Party (Marxist–Leninist–Maoist) | 600–1,000 | Marxism–Leninism–Maoism |
 China
|
Maoist Communist Party of China | Unknown | Marxism–Leninism–Maoism |
 Colombia
|
National Liberation Army | 1,380 - 3,000 | Marxism |
| Popular Liberation Army | 90–200 | Hoxhaism | |
| Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia—People's Army | 7,000–10,000 | Marxism–Leninism | |
 Ecuador
|
Communist Party of Ecuador–Red Sun | Unknown | Marxism–Leninism–Maoism |
| Group of Popular Combatants | Hoxhaism | ||
 France
|
ETA | 50 | Revolutionary socialism |
 Greece
|
Revolutionary Struggle | Unknown | Anarchist communism |
| Sect of Revolutionaries | Unknown | Far-left | |
 India
|
Akhil Bharat Nepali Ekta Samaj | Unknown | Maoism |
Communist Party of India (Maoist)
|
People's Liberation Guerrilla Army: 8,000–9,000 (September 2013) People's Militia: 38,000 (armed with bows, arrows, and machetes) |
Marxism–Leninism–Maoism | |
Maoist Communist Party of Manipur
|
Unknown | Marxism–Leninism–Maoism | |
| National Socialist Council of Nagaland | ~4,500 | Maoism | |
| People's Liberation Army of Manipur | 3,800 (2008) | Maoism | |
 Iran
|
Communist Party of Iran (Marxist–Leninist–Maoist) | Unknown | Marxism–Leninism–Maoism |
| Party of Free Life of Kurdistan | Unknown | Libertarian socialism | |
| People's Mujahedin of Iran | Unknown | Islamic socialism | |
 Italy
|
Informal Anarchist Federation | Unknown | Insurrectionary anarchism |
 Japan
|
Japan Revolutionary Communist League (Revolutionary Marxist Faction) | Trotskyism | |
 Mexico
|
Popular Revolutionary Army | Unknown | Maoism |
| Zapatista Army of National Liberation | Unknown | Neozapatismo | |
 Palestine
|
Abu Nidal Organization | Unknown | Arab socialism |
| Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades | Socialism | ||
Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine
|
Unknown | Marxism–Leninism–Maoism | |
| Palestine Liberation Front | Marxism–Leninism | ||
| Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine | Unknown | Marxism–Leninism | |
 Paraguay
|
Paraguayan People's Army | 50–80 | Communism |
 Peru
|
Shining Path | 4,200 | Marxism–Leninism–Maoism |
 Philippines
|
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan | Unknown | Marxism–Leninism–Maoism |
Communist Party of the Philippines
|
4,000 | Maoism | |
| Moro National Liberation Front | Unknown | Egalitarianism | |
| Revolutionary Workers' Party | Unknown | Marxism–Leninism | |
| Revolutionary Workers Party – Mindanao[1] | Unknown | Trotskyism | |
 Russia
|
New Revolutionary Alternative | Unknown | Insurrectionary anarchism |
 Syria
|
People's Protection Units | 50,000[2] | Libertarian socialism |
| Kurdistan Workers' Party | 15,000 active fighters | Libertarian socialism | |
 Turkey
|
Communist Labour Party of Turkey/Leninist | Unknown | Marxism–Leninism |
| Communist Party of Kurdistan | Unknown | Communism | |
| Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist–Leninist | Unknown | Marxism–Leninism–Maoism | |
| Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist–Leninist (Maoist Party Centre) | Marxism–Leninism–Maoism | ||
| Devrimci Karargâh | Unknown | Marxism–Leninism | |
| Kurdistan Workers' Party | 15,000 active fighters | Libertarian socialism | |
| Maoist Communist Party | Marxism–Leninism–Maoism | ||
| Marxist–Leninist Communist Party | Unknown | Hoxhaism | |
| Party of Free Life of Kurdistan | Unknown | Libertarian socialism | |
| Revolutionary Party of Kurdistan | Unknown | Marxism–Leninism | |
| Revolutionary People's Liberation Party–Front | Unknown | Marxism–Leninism | |
| Revolutionary People's Party | Unknown | Communism | |
 United Kingdom
|
Continuity Irish Republican Army | 50 or less "hard-core" operatives and fewer than 200 members in total | Socialism |
| United States | Black Guerrilla Family | 100-300 full members with 50,000 associates | Marxism–Leninism[3] |
 Western Sahara
|
Polisario Front
|
6–7,000 active soldiers | Islamic socialism |
List of successful groups[]
All groups who no longer exist because they have met their goals, some are now the established government in their respective region.
| Country | Group | Strength | Official Ideology |
|---|---|---|---|
 Albania
|
National Liberation Movement | 70,000 | Marxism–Leninism |
 Belgium
|
Front de l'Indépendance | Communism | |
 Cambodia
|
Khmer Rouge
|
Maoism | |
| China
|
Communist Party of China | 2,285,000 active and 510,000 reserve (as government army) | Marxism–Leninism |
 Cuba
|
26th of July Movement | Unknown | Revolutionary socialism |
 Eritrea
|
Eritrean People's Liberation Front | Marxism–Leninism | |
| Greece
|
National Liberation Front
|
Communism | |
| National Republican Greek League | ca.12,000 (October 1944) | Socialism | |
 Laos
|
Pathet Lao | Marxism–Leninism | |
 Poland
|
Gwardia Ludowa | Communism | |
| Russia
|
Bolsheviks | Unknown | Leninism |
 South Vietnam
|
Viet Cong | Marxism–Leninism | |
 South Yemen
|
National Liberation Front | Unknown | Marxism |
 Yugoslavia
|
Yugoslav Partisans | 80,000 – 800,000 | Communism |
List of failed groups[]
All groups that have failed at their end goal or have dissolved, and no longer exist.
| Country | Group | Strength | Official Ideology |
|---|---|---|---|
 Bahrain
|
Popular Front for the Liberation of Bahrain | Unknown | Marxism–Leninism |
| Belgium
|
Partisans Armés | Communism | |
 Bolivia
|
Ñancahuazú Guerrilla | 29 Bolivians 25 Cubans 3 Peruvians 1 Argentine-Cuban (Che) 1 Argentine-German (Tania) | Revolutionary socialism |
 Estonia
|
Soviet Republic of Naissaar | Revolutionary socialism | |
 Finland
|
Finnish Socialist Workers' Republic | Revolutionary socialism | |
| France
|
Action directe | Libertarian socialism | |
| Paris Commune | On paper, 200,000; in reality, probably between 25,000 and 50,000 actual combatants | Revolutionary socialism | |
 Germany
|
Alsace Soviet Republic | 14 | Soviet republicanism |
| Anti-Imperialist Cell | 2 | Anti-imperialism | |
| Bavarian Council Republic | Unknown | Socialism | |
| Communist Party of Germany | 360,000 in 1932 | Marxism | |
| European Union | Socialism | ||
| Free Workers' Union of Germany | Unknown | Anarcho-syndicalism | |
| Militante gruppe (mg) | Unknown | Communism | |
| Revolutionary Cells | New Left | ||
| Spartacus League | Unknown | Luxemburgism | |
| Italy
|
Armed Proletarians for Communism | Communism | |
| Autonomia Operaia | Autonomism | ||
| Lotta Continua | Communism | ||
| October 22 Group | Marxism–Leninism | ||
| Political-Military Communist Party | Communism | ||
| Potere Operaio | Workerism | ||
| Prima Linea | Marxism–Leninism | ||
| Red Brigades | Unknown | Marxism–Leninism | |
 Lebanon
|
Arab Communist Organization | Unknown | Communism |
Front of Patriotic and National Parties
|
Unknown | Left-wing nationalism | |
Lebanese National Movement
|
18,700 in 1976 | Left-wing nationalism | |
| Lebanese National Resistance Front | 1,000–2,000 | Left-wing nationalism | |
 North Yemen
|
Organisation of Yemeni Revolutionary Resistors | Unknown | Socialism |
| Revolutionary Democratic Party of Yemen | Unknown | Marxism–Leninism | |
 Oman
|
Dhofar Liberation Front | Unknown | Marxism |
| Popular Front for the Liberation of Oman | Unknown | Marxism | |
| Popular Front for the Liberation of the Occupied Arabian Gulf | Unknown | Marxism | |
| Palestine
|
Arab Palestine Organization | Unknown | Nasserism |
| Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – Special Command | Unknown | Marxism–Leninism | |
| Peru
|
Puka Llacta | Maoism | |
| Revolutionary Left Movement | Marxism | ||
| Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement | Marxism–Leninism | ||
| Russia
|
Black Guards | Unknown | Anarchist communism |
| Green armies | Unknown | Vague Leftism | |
| Kronstadt rebels | 17,961 at highest | Leftist Anti-Leninism | |
| Left Socialist Revolutionaries | Unknown | Socialism | |
| Mensheviks | Unknown | Orthodox Marxism | |
| Socialist Revolutionary Party | Unknown | Agrarian socialism | |
 Saudi Arabia
|
Arab Socialist Action Party – Arabian Peninsula | Unknown | Nasserism |
| Arabian Peninsula People's Union | Unknown | Nasserism | |
 Spain
|
Andecha Obrera | Marxism–Leninism | |
| Canary Islands Independence Movement | Left-wing nationalism | ||
| Catalan Liberation Front | Marxism–Leninism | ||
| Catalan Red Liberation Army | Marxism–Leninism | ||
| Communist Party of Spain (international) (1975) | Communism | ||
| Exército Guerrilheiro do Povo Galego Ceive | Revolutionary socialism | ||
| First of May Group | Left anarchism | ||
| Iberian Liberation Movement | Council communism | ||
| Liga Armada Galega | Marxism–Leninism | ||
| Loita Armada Revolucionaria | Marxism–Leninism | ||
| Los Solidarios | About 11 | Anarcho-syndicalism | |
| Organización Obreira | 100+[4] | Marxism–Leninism | |
| Popular Liberation Front | New Left | ||
| Revolutionary Antifascist Patriotic Front | Marxism–Leninism | ||
| Segi | Socialism | ||
| Spanish National Liberation Front | Marxism–Leninism | ||
| Terra Lliure | Marxism | ||
| Workers' Front of Catalonia | Socialism | ||
 Ukraine
|
Donetsk–Krivoy Rog Soviet Republic | Unknown | Revolutionary socialism |
| Revolutionary Insurrectionary Army of Ukraine | 103,000 (December 1919) | Anarchist communism | |
| Odessa Soviet Republic | Unknown | Revolutionary socialism | |
| United Kingdom
|
Irish People's Liberation Organisation | Unknown | Irish republican socialism |
Irish Republican Army
|
14,500 (at maximum) 1,000 (at minimum) | Marxism (later) | |
| King Mob | Unknown | Situationism | |
| Official Irish Republican Army | Unknown | Marxism | |
| Saor Éire | Unknown | Irish republican socialism | |
| Saor Uladh | Unknown | Irish republicanism | |
| The Angry Brigade | Unknown | Left anarchism | |
| United States | Black Liberation Army | Unknown | Socialism |
Black Panther Party
|
Unknown | Marxism–Leninism | |
| Black Revolutionary Assault Team | Unknown | African-American leftism | |
| Fuerzas Armadas de Liberación Nacional Puertorriqueña | Marxism-Leninism | ||
| George Jackson Brigade | 5 at highest | Communism | |
| John Brown Anti-Klan Committee | Unknown | Radical left | |
| May 19th Communist Organization | Unknown | Communism | |
| MOVE | Most famous the "MOVE 9" | Anarcho-primitivism | |
| National Black Antiwar Antidraft Union | African-American leftism | ||
| Seattle Liberation Front | Most famous the "Seattle Seven". | New Left | |
| Symbionese Liberation Army | 16 in total | Communism | |
| The Camden 28 | 28 | Christian left | |
| United Freedom Front | Known as the "Ohio 7" | Marxism | |
Weather Underground
|
Unknown | Marxism–Leninism | |
| Up Against the Wall Motherfuckers | Left anarchism | ||
| White Panther Party | Unknown | Revolutionary socialism | |
Youth International Party
|
Most famous the "Chicago Seven". | Anarcho-communism | |
| West Germany
|
2 June Movement | 14 | Left anarchism |
| Red Army Faction | Marxism–Leninism | ||
| Rote Zora | New Left | ||
| Tupamaros West-Berlin | Unknown | Marxism | |
 Venezuela
|
Revolutionary Left Movement | Unknown | Marxism |
List of former groups[]
All groups that still exist today, but no longer engage in armed struggle as they did in the past.
| Country | Group | Strength | Official Ideology |
|---|---|---|---|
 Algeria
|
National Liberation Front | 300,000 | Arab socialism |
 Angola
|
MPLA | Unknown | Marxism–Leninism |
 Ethiopia
|
All-Ethiopia Socialist Movement | Unknown | Marxism–Leninism |
Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
|
Unknown | Marxism | |
| Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Party | Unknown | Marxism–Leninism | |
 Guinea-Bissau
|
African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde | 10,000 | Marxism |
| Lebanon
|
Al-Mourabitoun | 1,000 regular fighters and 2,000 reservists | Nasserism |
| Communist Action Organization in Lebanon | Unknown | Marxism–Leninism | |
| Lebanese Communist Party | 2,000 | Marxism–Leninism | |
| Nasserist Unionists Movement | Unknown | Nasserism | |
| Popular Nasserist Organization | Unknown | Nasserism | |
| Progressive Socialist Party | 5,000 | Socialism | |
| Toilers League | Unknown | Nasserism | |
 Lesotho
|
Basutoland Congress Party | Left-wing nationalism | |
 Mozambique
|
FRELIMO | 10,000–15,000 | Marxism–Leninism |
 Namibia
|
SWANU | Unknown | Democratic socialism |
| SWAPO | Unknown | Democratic socialism | |
 Nicaragua
|
Sandinista National Liberation Front | Sandinismo | |
 South Africa
|
African National Congress | Unknown | Left-wing nationalism |
| Azanian People's Organisation | Unknown | Socialism | |
| Pan Africanist Congress of Azania | Unknown | African socialism | |
| Spain
|
Communist Party of Spain | Unknown | Communism |
| Communist Party of Spain (Reconstituted) | Marxism–Leninism | ||
| Confederación Nacional del Trabajo | Unknown | Anarcho-syndicalism | |
ETA
|
50 in the year 2011 | Revolutionary socialism | |
| United Kingdom
|
Irish National Liberation Army | Marxism–Leninism | |
Provisional Irish Republican Army
|
Irish republicanism | ||
| Venezuela
|
Communist Party of Venezuela | Marxism–Leninism | |
| Red Flag Party | Marxism–Leninism |
See also[]
- List of active rebel groups
- List of communist parties
- List of guerrilla movements
- List of Trotskyist organizations by country
References[]
- ↑ The Revolutionary Workers’ Party-Mindanao (RPM-M) and the Left in the Philippines
- ↑ Perry, Tom (15 August 2015). "Syrian Kurds now say they now control territory the size of Qatar and Kuwait combined". http://www.businessinsider.com.au/syrian-kurds-now-say-they-now-control-territory-the-size-of-qatar-and-kuwait-combined-2015-8.
- ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=QXpejAPTqH0C&pg=PA136&lpg=PA136&dq=black+guerrilla+family+marxist&source=bl&ots=9A2unPRdE-&sig=A0P5xAaghvVkhoAhJf0LzAAhXHA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CD4Q6AEwBGoVChMIkPeI8q--yAIVBM2ACh3Slg7H#v=onepage&q=black%20guerrilla%20family%20marxist&f=false
- ↑ Manuel Anxo Fernández Baz, A formación do nacionalismo contemporáneo (1963-1984), Santiago, 2003
The original article can be found at List of left-wing rebel groups and the edit history here.