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The proliferation of weaponized Islamic militias and of their propensity to use physical violence in the margins of formal proceedings constitutes one of the manifestations of the informality of legitimate physical violence in Senegal. Whatever their shapes, these militias are not completely out of the reach of political power, as the latter attempts to control the groups politically. Power transforms auxiliary public security militias in decisive and permanent ways. Power mobilizes militias to attack its opponents, its citizens, or political activists with assured impunity. The militias' actions can produce undesirable political effects that, in turn, provoke vigorous responses. Protests threatening political authority are harshly reprimanded.