militants
n. countable B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈmɪɫətənts// UK //mˈɪlɪtənts// mil·i·tants
n. people who use force or violence to support a political or religious cause. They are often part of a group that disagrees with the government.
n. persons who engage in aggressive or violent action to support a political, religious, or social cause. Typically used in the plural.
The militants attacked the police station at dawn.
Local militants blocked the main road to protest the new tax law.
The region has seen a rise in militant activity, with armed groups challenging state authority in rural districts.