Pro-Government Militias
Municipal Guards (Algeria)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | no |
| PGM ID Number: | 482 |
| Country: | Algeria |
| Date formed: | Jan. 1, 1994 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | year |
| Details of Formation: | The Municipal Guards were created by the Interior Ministry in 1994. |
| Date dissolved: | Unknown |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | day |
| Details of Termination: | |
| Termination Type(s): | not terminated |
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): | none |
| Successor group(s): | none |
| Private Military Company? | noinf |
| Former Group? | unclear |
| Former Armed Group? | no information |
| Former Rebel Group? | no information |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
| PGM Becomes Rebel Group? | no information |
| Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
Government Relation, Support, and Training
| Government Relation: | semi-official (type 2) |
| Created by the Government?: | yes | Main Creating Government Institution: | none |
| Government Link(s): | state (institution) |
| If link to party, name of party: | |
| Training and Equipment: | no information |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | yes |
| Shared Personnel: | no information |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | domestic government |
| State Sponsor(s): | none |
| Other Connection(s): |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | no information |
| Primary Membership: | no information |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | no information |
| Location: | |
| Force Strength: | [90000, 100000] |
| Target(s): | rebels, insurgents, or other armed group |
| Purpose(s): | self-defense and security |
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Membership: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Purpose: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: | not applicable |
Other Information
| Other Information: | Fighting against terrorists in rural areas |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | The Municipal Guards were created to support the army in their fight against armed Islamists. They are regularly involved in joined actions with the army for this purpose. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | unknown |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | unknown |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | no information |
| PGM Members Paid? | no information |
| Reasons for Membership: | |
| PGM Members Killed? | rarely |
PGM Size
| Size: | In 2010 the group was reported to have more than 100,000 members. In 2011, it is mentioned to have around 90,000 members, and it is mentioned that the number may decline due to the decline of terrorism. |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: |
Organisation
| Organisation: | The group reported to the Interior Ministry until May 26, 2011, when a presidential decree put the group under the oversight of the Defense Ministry. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.