Pro-Government Militias
Plainclothes Security Forces (Bahrain)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | yes |
| PGM ID Number: | 484 |
| Country: | Bahrain |
| Date formed: | Feb. 1, 2011 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | month |
| Details of Formation: | The group was first mentioned in a news source from 2011. |
| Date dissolved: | Unknown |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | day |
| Details of Termination: | |
| Termination Type(s): | none |
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): | none |
| Successor group(s): | none |
| Private Military Company? | no |
| Former Group? | no |
| Former Armed Group? | no |
| Former Rebel Group? | no |
| 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: | informal (type 1) |
| Created by the Government?: | yes | Main Creating Government Institution: | no information |
| Government Link(s): | unclear |
| If link to party, name of party: | |
| Training and Equipment: | no information |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | yes |
| Shared Personnel: | yes |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | no information |
| State Sponsor(s): | none |
| Other Connection(s): | Operate together with military forces and seem to get their instructions from the government/military as well |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | ethnic; security forces |
| Primary Membership: | no information |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | no information |
| Location: | Manama; Shia villages south and east of Manama |
| Force Strength: | [unknown, unknown] |
| Target(s): | civilians; unarmed political opposition, government critics; ethnic group; religious group |
| Purpose(s): | intimidation of ethnic/religious groups; intimidation of civilians; intimidate political opposition |
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): | Shia (Bahrain) |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: | given |
| Ethnic Membership: | Sunni (Bahrain) |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: | given |
| Ethnic Purpose: | Shia (Bahrain) |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: | given |
Other Information
| Other Information: |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | The plainclothes security forces were acting on behalf of the ruling Sunni family and elite against (Shiite) anti-government uprisings. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | unknown |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | The plainclothes security forces were involved in many violent operations against anti-government protesters. These included beatings, and firing live ammunition, and alleged torture. One news source reports that they prevented medics from accessing a hospital where those injured by a government attack were treated. |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | beating; torture |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | no information |
| PGM Members Paid? | no information |
| Reasons for Membership: | |
| PGM Members Killed? | no information |
PGM Size
| Size: |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: | The group used swords, clubs, knives, rocks, iron, steel and wood sticks, as well as other sharp objects. A news source reports that in one instance, they fired live bullets. |
Organisation
| Organisation: | The plainclothes security forces are protected by regular security forces. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.