Auxiliary units and formations

thumb|right|A young Harki, French Algeria. 1961.

Derbendcis or Derbentler were the most important and largest Ottoman military auxiliary constabulary units usually responsible for guarding important roads, bridges, fords or mountain passes. Usually, the population of an entire village near some important pass would be assigned with derbendci status in exchange for tax exemptions.

The sekban were mercenaries of peasant background in the Ottoman Empire. The term sekban initially referred to irregular military units, particularly those without guns, but ultimately it came to refer to any army outside the regular military. The sekbans were not only loyal to the Ottoman state, but they could become loyal to anyone who paid them a sufficient salary.

thumb|Depiction of a levend from the mid-17th century

thumb|A military auxiliary radio system operator at Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany in [[Albany, Georgia in 1983]] Auxiliaries are support personnel that assist the military or police but are organised differently from regular forces. Auxiliary may be military volunteers undertaking support functions or performing certain duties such as garrison troops, usually on a part-time basis. Unlike a military reserve force, an auxiliary force does not necessarily have the same degree of training or ranking structure as regular soldiers, and it may or may not be integrated into a fighting force. Some