Portuguese irregular forces in the Overseas War

Portuguese Angola

• Organização Provincial de Voluntários de Defesa Civil de Angola - mainly urban militia, consisting mainly of white settlers.
• Guarda Rural - auxiliary force of Public Security Police, dedicated to the defense of companies and farms.
• Formações Aéreas Voluntárias - aerial militia.
• Grupos Especiais - units of volunteer black soldiers that had commando training.
• Tropas Especiais - the name of the Special Groups in Cabinda.
• Fiéis - force composed of military and police from Katanga, exiled for opposing the regime of Mobutu; these men fled to Angola with their families in a total of nearly 5,000 people. The Portuguese Army selected 2,000 of these exiles and organized them on 3 Battalions of 5 companies each, with these three battalions placed in Chimbila, Camissombo and Gafaria; they had their own Katangan officers and sergeants.
• Leais - a force composed by exiles from Zambia, black soldiers that were against Kenneth Kaunda.
• Flechas - a very successful unit, controlled by the PIDE/DGS, composed by Bushmen, that specialized in tracking, reconnaissance and pseudo-terrorist operations.

  Portuguese Guinea

• Corpo de Milícias - made up of Africans, mainly for self-defense of villages, they were divided into two types: the Regular Militia, defensive, organized in 45 companies of 200 men, and the Special Militias, similar to Special Groups in other colonies, organized in 23 groups of 31 men.
• Comandos Africanos - units of commandos entirely composed by black soldiers, including the officers.
• Fuzileiros Especiais Africanos - Marine units entirely composed by black soldiers, including the officers.

  Portuguese Mozambique

• Organização Provincial de Voluntários de Defesa Civil de Moçambique - an organization similar to the one of Angola, but in much smaller size and importance.
• Formações Aéreas Voluntárias - aerial militia.
• Aviação do Gabinete de Planeamento do Zambeze - civil aviation service, but with a paramilitary organization, responsible for giving air support to the security of Cahora Bassa Dam.
• Grupos Especiais - force similar to that of Angola; at its height in Mozambique there were 84 groups of 90 men each.
• Grupos Especiais Paraquedistas - units of volunteer black soldiers that had paratrooper training; they were organized into 12 groups of 70 men each and were attached to the Air Force.
• Grupos Especiais de Pisteiros de Combate - special units trained in tracking.
• Flechas - force similar to that of Angola.