The phrase "active militias" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to groups of armed individuals who are organized and engaged in military or paramilitary activities, often outside of official state military forces.
Example: "The government is concerned about the rise of active militias in the region, which could threaten national security."
Alternatives: "operational militias" or "functioning militias".
There were 276 active militias in 2015, Mr. Lenz said.
There are three groups the American military considers to be active militias.
There were some active militias in Arizona a decade ago, and a few terrorist attacks, including the derailing of an Amtrak train several years ago.
It can be difficult to distinguish between active militias and disgruntled citizens who happen to have guns; the D.H.S. definition specifies paramilitary training and anti-government beliefs.
One of the most active militias in opposition to the Islamic State is the Badr Brigade, a force formed in Iran and reportedly still overseen by its intelligence services.
They also required an active militia because they were open to Indian attack.
Shiites are the largest of 17 recognized sects in Lebanon, and Hezbollah is a major Shiite political party, with the only active militia.
Three groups have claimed joint responsibility for the raid: the hitherto unknown Islamic Army; the Popular Resistance Committees PRCC), a small but active militia with fluid political loyalties; and the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's military wing.
An American diplomatic cable from 2008 titled "Gangs of Karachi," which was published by WikiLeaks, cited estimates that the party had an active militia of 10,000 gunmen, with an additional 25,000 in reserve — a larger force, the dispatch notes, than the city police.
But the monitoring group, Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (Acled), said on its website that the ADF is the most active militia.
Local committees of safety in Wilmington and New Bern also had active militia organizations, led by Alexander Lillington and Richard Caswell respectively.
