‘Boko Haram Using Drones, Mercenaries Against Nigerian Troops’ 
Sahara Reporters|   30 November 2018
> The chief of army staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai has said a sudden rise in Boko Haram attacks over the last three months has forced the Nigerian military to review its counter-insurgency operations in the Northeast.

Revolt of the ‘Disgruntled’: Russian Mercenaries Seek Justice in International Courts 
The Jamestown Foundation|   29 November 2018
> On November 19, members of more than a dozen Russian PMCs and war veterans’ organizations—357 delegates representing 18 entities from 52 regions—filed a petition with the International Criminal Court (ICC) demanding that an investigation be opened against “sponsors of Russian PMCs” (Rosbalt, November 19). The petitioners assert that “hundreds” of PMC members have died in foreign theaters, including in eastern Ukraine, the Middle East, Asia and Africa, all while operating without any legal protections or official recognition from the Russian state.

South African mercenary group claims Buhari rejected warnings about Boko Haram 
Lailas News|   26 November 2018
> A South African mercenary group, the Specialised Tasks, Training, Equipment and Protection International (STTEP), has accused President Buhari of rejecting intelligence warnings about operations of Boko Haram in Borno.

Mercenary leader accuses Nigeria of squandering gains against Boko Haram made with his help 
The Telegraph UK|   26 November 2018
> A South African mercenary who helped the Nigerian army recapture huge amounts of territory from Boko Haram insurgents has accused the country's government of squandering the gains it made with his help.

Americans and Russians have exchanged gunfire in Syria more than once 
Military Times|   26 November 2018
> American forces have clashed with Russian fighters in Syria on more than one occasion. The details come from an interview Ambassador James Jeffrey, U.S. special representative for Syria engagement, did with Russian media outlets last week.

Police tip security guards on professionalism 
The New Times|   26 November 2018
> Rwanda needs more professional security guards to ensure proper protection, security and safety of the people and their properties. This observation was made on Sunday by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Jean Nepo Mbonyumuvunyi, during the pass-out ceremony of security guards at Elite Action Group Cooperative (EACG) in Gikondo.

SA mercenary speaks out after Boko Haram bloodshed 
Eyewitness News|   26 November 2018
> A South African mercenary who fought Boko Haram jihadists in Nigeria spoke out on Sunday against President Muhammadu Buhari's handling of the Islamist insurgency, blaming "poor political decisions" for an upsurge in violence.

Civil Defence orders crackdown on illegal private guard firms 
Vanguard|   25 November 2018
> The Commandant General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Alhaji Abdullahi Gana, has ordered a crackdown on illegal private guard companies across the country.

6 members of private armed group killed in clash with police, military in Cagayan 
The Manila Times|   21 November 2018
> Six members of a private armed group were killed while one was arrested in an armed encounter with police and the military in Lallo, Cagayan on Tuesday night, according to a report reaching Camp Crame on Wednesday.

The Privatization of War in Afghanistan 
International Policy Digest|   21 November 2018
> Private military industries in the U.S. are behind the proposal of the privatization of the war in Afghanistan. Erik Prince, the founder the Blackwater Worldwide private military company, and Stephen A. Feinberg, a billionaire financier who owns the giant military contractor DynCorp International, each see a role for themselves in the future of the U.S. long-drawn-out war in Afghanistan.

Mercenaries address a collective appeal to the International Criminal Court, asking for war crimes charges against PMC organizers in Russia 
Meduza|   20 November 2018
> Frustrated with the stalled effort to legalize private military companies, a group of Russian mercenaries and military veterans is asking the International Criminal Court to prosecute Russia’s PMC organizers and facilitators for war crimes. Evgeny Shabaev, the chairman of the All-Russian Officers’ Assembly, told Radio Svoboda on November 19 that the initiative has the support of 357 delegates from 52 regions across the country, representing 18 different social groups.

Russian veterans seek probe of private military contracting 
The Washington Post|   20 November 2018
> An activist says a group of Russian military veterans has asked the International Criminal Court to probe the activities of Russian private security companies.

Sudan’s Justice and Equality Movement executes 11 mercenaries in Libya 
The Libya Observer|   19 November 2018
> The Sudanese Centre for Press Services reported that the Justice and Equality Movement has executed 11 of its field commanders who serve as mercenaries in Libya - in a border area between Libya and Sudan.

Russian vets seek to bring the Kremlin's mercenaries in from the cold 
CNN|   18 November 2018
> A forum representing Russian military veterans took an unusual step Sunday by voting to ask the International Criminal Court to probe the Russian government's use of private military contractors in deployments abroad.

Honolulu Hires Private Security Guards to Patrol City Parks 
U.S. News & World Report|   15 November 2018
> Honolulu is funding two private security guards to patrol city parks, aiming to curb illegal homeless activity.

Russian Nationalist Group, Acting as a Private Military Company, Worries Kremlin 
Jamestown Foundation|   15 November 2018
> Private military companies (PMC), which the Kremlin has used with success in Ukraine, Syria, the Central African Republic and elsewhere, nonetheless constitute a potentially serious problem domestically for Russia. If they pursue their own goals, they can challenge the government’s monopoly on the legitimate use of force and even threaten its control of key sectors. That is one of the reasons why the Russian Federation has not legalized them. But their rise, especially in the gray area of semi-legality, is now frightening the powers that be in the Kremlin who have turned to the Federal Security Service (FSB) in an effort to establish tighter control over one of these groups.

Afghan minerals in the crosshairs of Blackwater's Erik Prince 
TRT World|   15 November 2018
> The founder of the notorious, and now defunct, Blackwater, has been making headlines for trying to privatise the Afghan war. What has gone unreported are his plans as "Trump's advisor" to extract the country's immensely rich mineral wealth.

Security guard comes under fire in Morningside 
Independent Online|   14 November 2018
> A Durban private security company described the shooting at one its response officers in Morningside as merciless.

Private security guard firms urged to register 
Khmer Times|   14 November 2018
> The National Police on Monday appealed to all security companies to register with the Interior Ministry and ensure that their guards are properly trained.

Moscow Laying Groundwork for Deeper Military Involvement in Libya 
The Jamestown Foundation|   13 November 2018
> Moscow is deepening its military involvement in Libya while denying to its own people and the world that it is doing so, thus repeating the pattern that the Kremlin has followed in Syria and the Central African Republic.

Questions surround Tempe's decision to pay for armed security guards at some parks 
Fox 10 News Phoenix|   12 November 2018
> The City of Tempe is planning to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to hire armed security guards at some of its parks, due to safety concerns.

Security company fined R30 000 for dodgy guns permit 
Independent Online|   12 November 2018
> A private security company that escorted alleged 28s gang leader Ralph Stanfield to court in Khayelitsha, was fined R30 000 for having dodgy permits.

Russian veterans groups accuse Moscow of war crimes over their use of mercenaries 
NEWSREP|   12 November 2018
> Earlier this year, a contingent of U.S. Special Operations troops working alongside Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Syria were engaged in a four-hour long firefight against a Syrian government-backed force of some 500 troops. Among those pro-Assad troops, it was reported at the time, were a number of Russian civilians — widely recognized among those in the region as mercenaries working indirectly for the Kremlin, but formally unacknowledged by the Russian government.

Russia's hired guns in Africa 
European Council on Foreign Relations|   12 November 2018
> The murder of three Russian journalists in the Central African Republic in July 2018 raised new concerns about Russia’s presence in Africa. Because the reporters were investigating the activities of Russian private military contractors (PMCs), there has been widespread speculation that they were killed at the behest of a Russian state determined to expand its presence on the continent. This explanation is plausible: after years of irrelevance in resource-rich but politically unstable central Africa, the Kremlin has heavily relied on PMCs – a cost-effective and efficient tool for hybrid confrontation – in making its return to the region.

China pours money into private sector military technology 
The Australian Financial Review|   12 November 2018
> China has mobilised at least Rmb387b ($77.2 billion) to fund private sector companies that develop technology with potential military applications, according to Financial Times calculations based on public documents and state media announcements.

Cops launch drive to check guards and private security agencies 
The Times of India|   12 November 2018
> The Pune police have undertaken the mammoth task of verifying the security guards and the private security agencies functioning in the city. The exercise follows the recent revelations that many security agencies were operating without proper licenses and security guard verifications.

Russian businessman linked to sending mercenaries to Syria attends meeting for Haftar in Moscow 
Libyan Express|   11 November 2018
> A Russian newspaper says video released by the self-styled Libyan National Army shows a businessman allegedly linked to a private contractor that sent mercenaries to Syria at a meeting with the head of the Libyan army and top Russian military officials.

Russian military veterans seek ICC investigation of mercenary deployments 
Reuters|   09 November 2018
> Groups representing Russian military veterans plan to ask the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate Russia’s secret deployment of civilian contractors in Syria, Ukraine and Africa, a paramilitary leader said on Friday.

Security firm pays damages to anti-asbestos activists it spied on 
The Guardian|   08 November 2018
> A private security firm has been forced to pay damages to five anti-asbestos campaigners after they discovered it had spied on them.

Governors can stop private militias from massing at the border 
CNN|   07 November 2018
> After President Trump's pledge to send up to 15,000 US troops to the border to help deal with the approaching caravan of Central American migrants, private militias have called for their members to travel to the border to support the troops and US Customs and Border Patrol agents.

Private security agency staff arrested 
The New Indian Express|   07 November 2018
> The private firm deputed for security duty at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, Kaloor, for the ISL matches, has once again landed in trouble as eight employees were arrested by the Palarivattom police for allegedly threatening and assaulting some youths who were engaged for duty at the stadium on a temporary basis.

Rwanda National Police Tighten Supervision Of Security Companies 
KT Press|   06 November 2018
> Responding to unprofessional conduct of some private security companies, Rwanda National Police (RNP) have vowed to tighten supervision.

Australian mercenaries referred to ICC 
The Australian|   06 November 2018
> Accusations of war crimes involving Australian mercenaries in Yemen have been sent to the International Criminal Court, catching the government seemingly unaware.

Security guard harassed Muslim family, struck Latina in Portland attack, police say 
Oregon Live|   02 November 2018
> A former private security guard faces hate crime charges after police say he harassed a Muslim family, smashed a Latina woman with a metal baton and then pepper-sprayed two other people during a racially motivated attack in Southwest Portland.

Stricter requirements for security guards in Denver go into effect 
Fox31 Denver|   01 November 2018
> The rules for being a security guard got a lot tougher in the City and County of Denver starting Thursday as new requirements went into effect.