A Firqa ( ) sometimes called Firqat colloquially in the plural), is a local

militia A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...

unit loyal to the

Sultan of Oman The sultan of the Sultanate of Oman () is the monarchical head of state and head of government of Oman. It is the most powerful position in the country. The sultans of Oman are members of the Al Bu Said dynasty, which has been the ruling fami ...

raised in the

Dhofar The Dhofar Governorate () is the largest of the 11 governorates in the Sultanate of Oman in terms of area. It lies in southern Oman, on the eastern border with Yemen's Al Mahrah Governorate and the southern border with Saudi Arabia's Easter ...

region of

Oman Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman, is a country located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in West Asia and the Middle East. It shares land borders with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Oman’s coastline ...

during the Dhofar War. The British were known for utilising Firqa during their counter insurgency operations in support of the Sultan's operations in the region, converting former enemies into pro-government militia to aid in counter-insurgency; this was a tactic the British had successfully employed in Malaya. Forming local Firqa was therefore great way to employ surrendered enemy personnel (SEPs) and thus pacify areas of the Dhofari Jebel and set the conditions for infrastructure development. During the insurgency in Dhofar Firqa forces proved invaluable as both a tactical and psychological weapon; although their use beyond Jebali tribal areas was problematic. Firqa continued at least until recent times; as recently as 1990 the Omani government was issuing payments of 120-140

rials Rial, riyal, or RIAL may refer to: * Rial (surname), a surname (and list of people with the name) * Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning, McGill University * Rial Racing, a former German Formula One team Currency Various currencies ...

per month. This payment was both to maintain a pro-government paramilitary force, as well as to enable nomadic Omanis to continue living in their traditional areas.

References

Dhofar War Paramilitary organizations based in Oman Militias in Asia Indigenous counterinsurgency forces {{paramilitary-org-stub