Rebels by type

thumb|Qizilbash troops of Shah Ismail I. Circa 1647 painting, [[Chehel Sotoun]]

A militant is a person engaged in warfare or combat. The word is often used as a euphemism for someone who is an entrenched or aggressive adherent to a particular cause, often an ideological faction. The term is most commonly used by mass media to maintain a neutral tone and not appear biased to one side, which has led to criticism.