King's African Rifles

King's African Rifles
KAR troops training in Kenya, c. 1944
Active	1902–1960s
Country	British Africa
Allegiance	British Empire
Branch	British Colonial Auxiliary Forces
Role	Internal security
Size	30,000
Engagements	Somaliland campaign World War I East African campaign World War II East African campaign Burma campaign Malayan Emergency Mau Mau uprising

The King's African Rifles (KAR) was a British Colonial Auxiliary Forces regiment raised from Britain's East African colonies in 1902. It primarily carried out internal security duties within these colonies along with military service elsewhere during the world wars and other conflicts, such as the Malayan Emergency and the Mau Mau uprising. The regiment's enlisted soldiers were drawn from the native Africans, while most officers were seconded from the British Army. During the 1960s, as part of the decolonisation of Africa, more African officers were commissioned into the regiment before it was gradually disbanded. KAR battalions would go on to form the core of newly established armed forces throughout East Africa.