Chronology of Kalashnikov Conflicts Dataset (1947-present)

Methodology (Click here)

VariantYear(s)Usage CountryUsagePartiesCountry ManufactureFactoriesSource
AK-47s1955-1972SudanSudanese Civil WarSudanese Civil WarUnknownUnknownRottman p. 51
Type-58, AKM1958-1975LaosLaotian rebelsLaotian Civil WarNorth KoreaKanggyeWebsite
AKM1960s+Northern IrelandIrish Republican Army (IRA)IrishVariousVariousCarr Chapter 1
Kalashnikovs1960s+CubaFidel CastroProvided Kalashnikovs to Various Rebels in regionVariousVariousChivers, p. 9
Kalashnikovs1960s+IraqKurds in IraqKurds in IraqRomaniaCugirChivers, p. 13
IMI Galil1960-1996GuatamalaGuatemalan Civil WarLeftist rebels and Guatemalan GovernmentIsraelRamat HaSharonWikipedia
Kalashnikovs1961-1990El SalvadorEl Salvadoran RebelsFMLN rebels against El Salvadoran Government (Sandinista Revolution)North KoreaKanggyeChivers, p. 364
Type 56, Type 58. AKM 1964-1975VietnamViet CongViet Cong and North Vietnamese Army vs. US Army and South Vietnamese ArmyChinaBe’ianChivers, p. 264
AK-47s, AKM1964-1979RhodesiaRhodesian Bush WarRhodesian Bush WarUnknownUnknownRottman p. 51
Kalashnikovs1964-2017ColumbiaRevolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC)FARC rebels against Columbian GovernmentVariousVariousChivers, p. 384
IMI Galil1966 – presentColumbiaColombian Armed Conflict Colombian government, paramilitary groups, crime syndicates and left-wing guerrillasIsraelRamat HaSharonWikipedia
IMI Galil1966-1989South AfricaSouth African Border WarSWAPO, Angolian Government & South African GovernmentIsraelRamat HaSharonWikipedia
AK-47s1967-1970NigeriaNigerian-Biafran WarNigerian-Biafran WarUnknownUnknownRottman p. 51
IMI Galil1969-presentPhilappinesInsurgency in the PhilippinesRebels and Philippines GovernmentIsraelRamat HaSharonWikipedia
Kalashnikovs1969-presentPhilappinesNew Peoples ArmyPhilippine rebels against Philippine GovernmentVariousVariousChivers, p. 384
Type-58, AKM1970-1975CambodiaCambodian rebelsCambodian Civil WarNorth KoreaKanggyeWebsite
Kalashnikovs1970s onwardJamaicaJamaican “Gangs”Gangs vs. Police and other gangsVariousVariousCarr Chapter 8
Kalashnikovs1972GermanyBlack SeptemberAttack against Israeli Team at Munich OlympicsUnknownUnknownChivers, pp. 338-340
Type-58, AKM1977-1989Cambodia & VietnamCambodian – Vietnamese WarCambodia vs VietnamNorth KoreaKanggyeWebsite
Kalashnikovs1977-1992MozambiqueMozambique Rebels (RENAMO)Mozambique Civil War – included Hungarian, Romanian, Bulgarian, East German, Chinese, and Soviet weaponVariousVariousChivers, p. 383
Type 561978UgandaKaramojong Tribe (Uganda)Looted AK-47s from Ugandan Amry depot at MorotoChinaBe’ianChivers, p. 357
AKM, AK-741979-1989AfghanistanSoviets & Mujahideen (from US)Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan vs Mujahiddeen (400,000+ Kalashnikovs from US via Pakistan)USSRIzhevskChivers, p.361
Type 581980-1988IranIran-Iraq WarIran vs. Iraq and insurgentsNorth KoreaKanggyeChivers, p. 361
Type 56, AKM1975-2002AngolaUNITA (Angolan rebels)Angolan Civil War South African government purchased 35,000 Type 56 from China to supply UNTAChinaBe’ianCarr, Chapter 3
AKM1978-1987LibyaLibya & Chadian RebelsChad-Libya ConflictRussiaIzhevsk
AKM, IMI Galil1982-1985LebanonLebanon WarIsrael and PLO (Lebanon)IsraelRamat HaSharonWikipedia
Kalashnikovs1983+SudanSudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA)Sudanese GovernmentVariousVariousCarr Chapter 5
Type 561983+SudanSudan RebelsSudan rebelsChinaBe’ianChivers, p. 13
AK-47s1983-2005SudanSudanese Civil WarSudanese Civil WarUnknownUnknownRottman p. 51
Kalashnikovs1985-presentLebanon & IsraelHezbollahHezbollah vs. IsraelVariousVariousChivers, p. 383
Kalashnikovsmid-1980sEl SalvadorEl Salvadoran RebelsFMLN rebels against El Salvadoran GovernmentEast GermanyWiesaChivers, p. 364
RPKsmid-1980sEl SalvadorEl Salvadoran RebelsFMLN rebels against El Salvadoran GovernmentYugoslaviaKragujevacChivers, p. 364
Kalashnikovs1988-2004Papua New GuineaPapua New Guinea Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA)BRA vs. Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) & Tribal/Gang fightingVariousVariousCarr Chapter 8
Kalashnikovs1988-presentArmenia & AzerbaijanNogorno-KarabahkArmenia and AzerbaijanVariousVariousChivers, p. 408
AKM1989-1996, 1999-2003LiberiaLiberian rebel small boys unitsLiberian Civil War – Charles Taylor – Kalasnikovs via Libya and Burkino Faso – Ukraian and Serbian sourcesYugoslavia (Serbia) & Russia (via Ukraine)Kragujevac & IvhevskRottman p. 51
Kalashnikovs1990+PakistanMQM and other Karachi Pakistan GangsYouth and Gang violence, confrontations with policeVariousVariousCarr Chapter 5
Kalashnikovs1990-presentPakistanLashkar-e-TaibaSouth Asian Islamic Terrorist GroupVariousVariousChivers, p. 383
AK-741990-1994Moldova-UkraineTransnistria WarTransnistria War
AK-47s1990-1994RwandaRwanda rebelsRwanda Civil War and GenocideBulgariaKazanlakChivers, p. 13
Kalashnikovs1990sUganda & SudanUganda/Southern Sudan & Joseph KonyLord’s Resistance Army vs. armed forces of Uganda, Congo, SudanVariousVariousChivers, p.372
Kalashnikovs1990sBurma & CambodiaMon and Karen RebelsBorder area of Burma from CambodiaVariousVariousCarr, Chapter 3
Kalashnikovs1990sJapanYakuza Gang members in JapanFrom CambodiaVariousVariousCarr, Chapter 3
Kalashnikovs1990sIndonesiaSeperatists in Indonesian province of AcehFrom CambodiaVariousVariousCarr, Chapter 3
Kalashnikovs1990sPhilappinesSeperatists in Philippine isaland of MindanaoFrom CambodiaVariousVariousCarr, Chapter 3
Kalashnikovs1990sBangladeshShanti Bahini rebelsBorder area of Bengladesh with BurmaVariousVariousCarr, Chapter 3
Kalashnikovs1990sBengladesh & IndiaRohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO)Border area of Bengladesh with IndiaVariousVariousCarr, Chapter 3
Kalashnikovs1990sSomaliaSomaliian RebelsBulgaria to Somalia via Djibouti using fake EUCsBulgariaKazanlakCarr, Chapter 4
Kalashnikovs1990sKenyaWar between the Turkana and the PokotEthnic war between tribes in Kenya (Kalashnikovs from raid from Uganda depot at Moroto (1979)VariousVariousCarr Chapter 5
Type 561990sJordan & YemanJordan/Yeman rebels (Prince Anwar)South Africa shipments during Wazan Affair (24,000 rifles)ChinaBe’ianCarr, Chapter 3
Type 561990sCroatiaCroatian RebelsSouth Africa shipments during Wazan AffairChinaBe’ianCarr, Chapter 3
Kalashnikovs1990s to presentYemenRebels in YemenRebels in Yemen vs. Government & Intertribal fightingEast GermanyWiesaChivers, p. 13
Kalashnikovs1990s, 2000sBrazilFavela Gangs in Brazilvia Iguacu TriangleVariousVariousCarr, Chapter 3
Kalashnikovs1990s+PakistanSindh and Punjab province sectarian violence in PakistanTribal and sectarian violncePakistanVariousCarr Chapter 5
Kalashnikovs1991+Sierra LeoneRevolutionary United Front (RUF)RUF Rebels against government of Sierra Leone -Kalashnikovs via Charles TaylorVariousVariousChivers, p. 370
AKM, AK-741992-1993GeorgiaGeorgian Civil WarGeorgian Civil War
IMI Galil1992-1993SomaliaWar in SomaliaUnified Task Force (UNITAF) and Somalie RebelsIsraelRamat HaSharonWikipedia
Type 561994IsraelPalestine Liberation Organization (PLO)Transfer of Type 56 surplus from South Africa to PLOChinaBe’ianCarr, Chapter 3
AK-47s1994-presentSomaliaSomali Civil WarSomali Civil WarUnknownUnknownRottman p. 51
INSAS1996-2006NepalNepalese Civil WarNepal GovernmentIndiaThree in IndiaWikipedia
Kalashnikovs1996+South AfricaPagad (People Against Gangsterism and Drugs)Vigilante movement against gangs and drug dealers in South Africa (Capetown)VariousVariousCarr Chapter 5
Kalashnikovs1996+South AfricaMapogo Vigilante movement against gangs and drug dealers in northern part of South AfricaVariousVariousCarr Chapter 5
Type 561997+SerbiaKosovo ConflictKosovo Liberation Army vs Serbian TroopsAlbaniaGramshChivers, p. 367-368
INSAS1999India & PakistanKargil WarIndia and PakistanIndiaThree in IndiaWikipedia
AKM, AK-742001-presentAfghanistanTalibanWar in Afghanistan
Kalashnikovs2002+Ivory CoastCote d’Ivoriesmall arms from Liberia to Sierra Leone to Cote d’IvorieVariousVariousCarr Chapter 9
Kalashnikovs2002+NigeriaDelta Region of Nigeriasmall arms from Liberia to Sierra Leone to Cote d’Ivorie to NigeriaVariousVariousCarr Chapter 9
AKM2003-presentIraqIraq War/Second Gulf WarIraq War/Second Gulf War
VSS & Kalashnikovs2004RussiaChechen and Ingush TerroristsAttack on School No, 1 in Breslan RussiaUnknownUnknownChivers, p. 385
AKM2006+MexicoMexican Drug WarMexican Drug War
AKM, AK-742008GeorgiaRusso-Georgian WarRusso-Georgian War
Kalashnikovs2008IndiaLashkar-e-TaibaRaid in MumbaiUnknownUnknownChivers, p. 340
AKM2009Boko HaramBoko Haram InsurgencyBoko Haram Insurgency
AKM, AK-742011LibyaLibyan Civil WarLibyan Civil War
AKM, AK-742011-presentSyriaSyrian Civil WarSyrian Civil War
IMI Galil2013Philappines2013 Lahad Datu standoffPhilippine rebels against forces in MalaysiaIsraelRamat HaSharonWikipedia
AKM, AK-742014+Iraq-SyriaMilitary Intervention Against ISILMilitary Intervention Against ISIL
AKM, AK-742014+UkraineWar in DonbassWar in Donbass
AKM, AK-742015+YemenYemeni Civil WarYemeni Civil War