Popular Committees (Egypt)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: |
no
|
| PGM ID Number: |
620
|
| Country: |
Egypt |
| Date formed: |
Aug. 15, 2013 |
| Accuracy of date formed: |
month
|
| Details of Formation: |
Local communities formed decentralized popular committees that operated as neighborhood watches. In 2013 the military government started to align with these local groups to quell the Muslim Brotherhood. During this time, they were mobilized by the Tamarod, an opposition movement against former president Morsi. (Human Rights Watch 2011) |
| Date dissolved: |
Aug. 18, 2013 |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: |
day
|
| Details of Termination: |
The Popular Committees were banned by the Interior Ministry in order to prevent further clashes between Morsi supporters and opponents. |
| Termination Type(s): |
government defects
|
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): |
none
|
| Successor group(s): |
none
|
| Private Military Company? |
no |
| Former Group? |
yes |
| Former Armed Group? |
unclear |
| Former Rebel Group? |
no |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: |
none |
| PGM Becomes Rebel Group? |
no |
| Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: |
none |
Government Relation, Support, and Training
| Government Relation: |
informal (type 1) |
| Created by the Government?: |
no |
Main Creating Government Institution: |
none
|
| Government Link(s): |
unclear
|
| If link to party, name of party: |
None |
| Training and Equipment: |
no information |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: |
yes |
| Shared Personnel: |
no information |
| Type(s) of Material Support: |
no information
|
| State Sponsor(s): |
none
|
| Other Connection(s): |
|
Group Characteristics
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: |
The exact link to the government is unclear but the relationship was rather loose.
Only refers to the group which is active after Morsi’s overthrow, as the name “popular committees” is also used in other contexts e.g. during uprising against Mubarak in February 2011. |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: |
The militia was a pro-government group that attacked alleged supporters of the Brotherhood. They were mobilized by the Tamarod group, which was leading the anti-government protests that resulted in Mursi’s ousting. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use |
unknown
|
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: |
There were several violent incidents when the Popular Committees clashed with pro-Mursi protesters. Together with the police, they used gunfire and other weapons to shoot protesters and curb uprisings. The militia’s behavior has led to a high number of deaths among civilians. |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: |
beating
|
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? |
no |
| PGM Members Paid? |
no information |
| Reasons for Membership: |
When the local popular committees were set up in 2011, neighbors were interested in protecting their houses and neighborhoods. But there is no information on how the reasons for membership developed after the government aligned with the militia to curb opposition. (Human Rights Watch 2011) |
| PGM Members Killed? |
rarely |
PGM Size
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: |
In addition to sticks and metal rods, the militiamen were also armed with firearms. There is no information on whether the group received training. |
Organisation
| Organisation: |
The Popular Committees carried out joint operations with the Egyptian military and police. However, there is no information on specific command structures as the militia was created locally without a clear leadership. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Human Rights Watch. 2011. “Egypt: Trying for Peace in Climate of Chaos, Violence”. https://www.hrw.org/print/241741
Human Rights Watch. 2013. “Meet the Hatchet Men of Cairo”. https://www.hrw.org/news/2013/08/21/meet-hatchet-men-cairo
Information was taken from news sources listed in the PGMD.
Evidence
