| Country: | Honduras |
| Details of Formation: | In the late 1990s, evidence of crime-fighting death squads with alleged connections to the police and military started to appear. They appear to have been formed from death squads from the 1980s, reorienting their purpose towards fighting crime. |
| Details of Termination: | -- |
| Purpose: | The group existed prior to 1997 and attacked political activists at the time. After the government aligned with the militia, its members were targeting criminals. Its purpose was to reduce crime and assist the police. |
| Organisation: | The militia carried out joint operations with the police and had links to the Honduran military. It was comprised of multiple groups that operated throughout the country. |
| Weapons and Training: | One can infer that the group possessed firearms, as they have shot suspected criminals and civilians. |
| Size: | No information. |
| Reason for Membership: | No information. |
| Treatment of Civilians: | Although the militia’s intended purpose was to target criminals, also civilians, including children, were killed. |
| Other Information: | Social cleansing, that is the extrajudicial killings of criminals and other 'undesirables', is common in the large cities of Honduras. Some squads are allegedly formed by security forces and linked to the national police. Some armed bands sanctioned by the government go under the name security committees and are meant to supplement the national police. According to some sources, social cleansers have killed up to 5000 street kids since the late 1990s. Not all squads are created within the government, but coded as yes since in some cases it appears to be the case. |
| References: | Information was taken from news sources listed in the PGMD. |