Surinamese Liberation Army

guerrilla organization, Suriname

Also known as: Jungle Commando

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Last updated

July 14, 2026

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The Surinamese Liberation Army (SLA), also known as the Jungle Commando, was a guerrilla organization formed in Suriname in 1986. Primarily composed of Maroons, its objective was to overthrow the existing government. In response, the National Army conducted raids on Maroon villages, leading to the deaths and detentions of many Maroons and causing a significant number to flee to French Guiana. Following a peace agreement in 1992, most returned to Suriname and now control economic activities in their territories.1

It is important to distinguish this group from the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA), a different militant group active in California during the 1970s, known for the kidnapping of Patty Hearst.2

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Suriname
Suriname since independence
Raids by the Surinamese Liberation Army, a guerrilla group better known as the Jungle Commando (JC) and consisting mainly of Maroons, disrupted bauxite mining and led to the killing of many Maroon civilians by the National Army; thousands of Maroons subsequently fled to French Guiana. The deteriorating economic…
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Raids by the Surinamese Liberation Army, a guerrilla group better known as the Jungle Commando (JC) and consisting mainly of Maroons, disrupted bauxite mining and led to the killing of many Maroon civilians by the National Army; thousands of Maroons subsequently fled to French Guiana. The deteriorating economic…
Read More