AR-15-pattern rifle

Conflict Usage

Battle of Marawi

Side: IS-aligned militantsRole: Small-unit rifle armament in urban defensestrike

ARES reported that a June 2017 Marawi arms seizure from the Maute Group included commercial and military AR-type self-loading rifles, and assessed that the group made extensive use of AR-15-pattern small arms from black-market, captured, and locally made sources.

Colombian FARC Dissident Conflict

Side: FARC dissident groupsRole: Dissident fighter rifle armament in raids and clashesstrike

In the Colombian FARC Dissident Conflict, Caracol Radio reported a 2020 operation against Ferley González's FARC dissident structure that recovered an AR-15 rifle among the group's weapons.

Haitian Gang Conflict

Side: Armed gangsRole: Gang rifle armament for urban attacks and territorial controlstrike

In the Haitian Gang Conflict, UNODC said United States-made AR-15s were part of the trafficked firearms used by gangs behind sniper attacks, looting, kidnappings, and prison attacks.

AR-15-pattern rifle Images

Related Weapon Systems

Infantry WeaponsAK-47/AKM rifle familySelective-fire assault rifle familyAK-47/AKM-family rifles are Kalashnikov-pattern small arms derived from the Soviet AK-47 and 1959 AKM modernization, usually chambered in 7.62 x 39 mm. In the post-2015 archive they appear with FARC dissidents in Colombia, gangs in Haiti, PKK fighters, GNA scouts in Libya, insurgents in Mali, Islamic State forces in Iraq and Syria, militants in Sinai, RSF units in Sudan, Taliban fighters in Afghanistan, and Houthi-linked supply chains in Yemen.

Infantry WeaponsFN FAL7.62 mm battle rifleThe FN FAL is a Belgian 7.62 x 51 mm NATO battle rifle designed by Fabrique Nationale after World War II and widely copied or license-produced. In the Battle of Marawi record, it appears as a recovered Maute-group weapon: Philippine forces reported three FAL rifles among firearms found after the urban fight.

Infantry WeaponsGalil assault rifleSelective-fire assault rifle familyThe Galil is an Israeli Kalashnikov-derived assault rifle family originally produced by Israel Military Industries and later modernized by Israel Weapon Industries as the Galil ACE line. Recent conflict reporting places Galil or Galil ACE rifles in irregular small-arms stocks from the Lake Chad Basin to FARC dissident operations in Colombia and trafficked gang arsenals in Haiti, where they appear as portable infantry weapons rather than heavy support systems.

Infantry WeaponsAK-74M5.45 mm assault rifleThe AK-74M is the modernized Russian production model of the AK-74 family, chambered for 5.45x39 mm ammunition with black polymer furniture and a left-folding stock. In the Russia-Ukraine War it remains a baseline infantry rifle for Russian regular units, even as AK-12 rifles supplement it and older AKM rifles appear among mobilized troops.

Infantry WeaponsType 56 assault rifle7.62x39mm Kalashnikov-pattern assault rifleThe Type 56 is a Chinese 7.62x39mm Kalashnikov-pattern assault rifle derived from the Soviet AK-47 and exported widely through state, surplus, and illicit channels. In the Boko Haram Insurgency, Small Arms Survey and Stimson reporting link Chinese Type 56 rifles to weapons seized from Boko Haram members and to materiel captured during the 2016 Bosso camp attack in Niger.

Infantry WeaponsType 56-1 assault rifle7.62x39mm under-folding-stock assault rifleThe Type 56-1 is the under-folding-stock member of China's Type 56 Kalashnikov-pattern rifle family, chambered for 7.62x39mm ammunition and built for compact carriage by infantry and irregular forces. In the Yemen Civil War, arms-trafficking investigations and interdiction records link batches of Type 56-1 rifles to Iran-backed supply channels for Houthi-aligned forces.

Sources