militias
n. plural-onlyn. groups of ordinary people who are trained as soldiers but are not part of a country's official army. They often fight during emergencies or to protect their local area.
n. military forces composed of ordinary citizens rather than professional soldiers, typically available for emergency service. Often used to describe non-state armed groups in conflict zones.
Local militias formed to protect the town during the war.
The peace treaty required all independent militias to hand over their weapons to the national government.
In the absence of a centralized police force, various neighborhood militias emerged to provide security, though their lack of formal oversight led to concerns about human rights abuses.
The plural form of 'militia'; takes plural verb agreement.