Combat group

Derived from the Latin 'fasces', this was the name for Benito Mussolini's combat groups that were started as protest units agaist communism in the 1920's. Later, these units were used by the Partitio Nazionale Fascista to ensure social and political order through violent oppression of civilians with opposing opinions.

The fasci di combattimento gave their name to the philosophical and governmental principle of fascism.