| Lebanese Resistance Companies Saraya al-Moukawama al-Lubnaniyya | |
|---|---|
| سرايا المقاومة اللبنانية | |
 Logo of the group | |
| Leaders | Mohammed Aknan (Beirut) Mohammad Saleh (Sidon) † |
| Dates of operation | 1997–2000 2009–present |
| Active regions | Southern Lebanon, particularlySidon |
| Ideology | Lebanese nationalism Multiconfessionalism Anti-Zionism |
| Size | Unknown |
| Part of | Hezbollah |
| Allies | March 8 Alliance[1] |
| Opponents |  Israel Free Syrian Army Islamic Front al-Nusra Front Islamic State |
| Battles and wars | South Lebanon conflict (1985–2000) 2006 Lebanon War Syrian civil war |
| Part ofa series on | |
| Hezbollah | |
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TheLebanese Resistance Companies (Arabic: سرايا المقاومة اللبنانية;Saraya al-Muqawama al-Lubnaniya), commonly referred to as theLebanese Resistance Brigades is anon-denominational Lebanese paramilitary group affiliated withHezbollah. The group is anirregular militia that is composed ofShia andSunni Muslims,Christians, andDruze who subscribe toLebanese nationalism and stronganti-Zionist beliefs.[2] The Resistance Companies are funded, trained, armed, and founded by Hezbollah. The group's manpower, composition, and strength are unclear.
The group was founded in 1997 to counterIsrael, but its focus has since expanded to countering Sunni extremists likeISIL as well.[2][3]
The Resistance Companies were founded to increase the manpower of anti-Israeli forces in Lebanon and to deny Israel freedom of movement in non-Shia areas.[3] West Point'sCombating Terrorism Center reports that the Resistance Companies were founded in November 1997,[3] while other sources claim early 1990s, 2004, or 2009.[4][5][6]
Resistance Companies members are trained in Hezbollah-run camps alongside normal Hezbollah recruits. However, they do not receive Hezbollah's ideological training.[2] A recruiter described the group as "made for non-extremist people."[2] The militia is popular among Christians inBeqaa Valley andnorth Lebanon.[7]
The Companies first saw combat in 1998 during theSouth Lebanon conflict (1985–2000).[3] They claim to have engaged in over three hundred operations before Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon in 2000. The group was also involved in the2006 Lebanon War with Israel.[3]
The militia is described as an "operational auxiliary" or subsidiary of Hezbollah.[3][8] Group members fight under the Hezbollah flag and command structure in combat, but are at least nominally separate in peacetime. They also receive intelligence from Hezbollah.[3][4]
Resistance Companies units have been involved in theSyrian Civil War. They do not engage in combat but rather support Hezbollah logistically and act as interlocutors between Hezbollah and Christian and Sunni communities.[2] Despite this, some fighters have been killed in Syria.
The Companies have been involved in the ongoingHezbollah-Israel conflict (2023-present). Some members of the group were killed during clashes with Israeli forces in October 2023.[9] In July 2024, the Brigades conducted their first military operations against Israel, using missiles to strike sites in the Israeli-occupiedShebaa Farms.[10][11]
| Model | Type | Quantity | Acquired | Origin | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AK-47 | Assault rifle | unknown |  Hezbollah |  Soviet Union | [2] |
| 9M14 Malyutka | ATGM | unknown | Hezbollah | Soviet Union | [4] |
| Technical | Improvised fighting vehicle | unknown | Hezbollah |  Lebanon | [4] |
Resistance Companies fighters are less disciplined and subject to less strict rules than Hezbollah fighters.[6][12] Consequently, the brigades have been involved in a large number of violent confrontations with police, theLebanese Army, and various Lebanese partisans.[12] Lebanese Interior MinisterNohad Machnouk, member of theFuture Movement, criticized the group for challenging the sovereignty of the Lebanese government.[13]
Critics contend that the group is no longer focused on fighting Israel, but rather exists as political cover for Hezbollah's actions and as a containment group for thugs and troublemakers.[12] Likewise, some Sunnis have charged the Resistance Brigades with focusing more on countering Sunni fundamentalism than Israel.[2]
The Resistance Companies have also been accused of converting Sunni youth to Shia Islam, a charge the group denies.[12]