Partisans

"Or the campaigns of Saw Gerrera's Partisans? Can you condone that?" "We did what had to be done."

- Ransolm Casterfo and Leia Organa, on the Partisans' so-called terrorist actions

The Partisans, also referred to as Saw Gerrera's militia, and Saw Gerrera's rebels were a militant insurgent group and rebel cell who enacted armed campaigns against the Galactic Empire during the Imperial Era. Led and founded by Saw Gerrera in 19 BBY, the Partisans played a part in destabilizing Gerrera's homeworld of Onderon from the Empire's occupying forces and eventually became allied with first the rebellion, and later, the Alliance to Restore the Republic. However, some, like Rebel Alliance founders Mon Mothma and Bail Organa, distanced themselves from Gerrera's faction due to their willingness to resort to extreme tactics, such as torture and attacks on civilian targets. By 0 BBY, the militia had very little communication with the mainstream Alliance, and Gerrera's militia besieged the holy moon of Jedha with the intentions of purging the Imperial occupation. However, the campaign took a major blow with the destruction of the Holy City by the Imperial Death Star battle station's superlaser, and the death of Saw Gerrera himself.

The Partisans were also responsible for enough attacks resulting in civilian casualties that the Galactic Empire in response made a propaganda poster denouncing the Rebel Alliance as a terrorist group. The campaigns of the Partisans were later mentioned by New Republic Senator Ransolm Casterfo as an example of the Rebels' so-called terrorist tactics during the war, and also demanded of Leia Organa to know if she condoned it or not, with Leia simply saying he did what needed to be done without saying either way regarding her views on the matter.

Early rebellion
Following Onderon's Civil War and the Galactic Republic's transformation into the Galactic Empire Saw Gerrera reorganized the Onderon rebels into the Partisans. When the Empire sent ISB Agent Kallus and his platoon to bring peace to Onderon, Gerrera and a Lasat mercenary ambushed them. The Lasat then mercilessly executed the platoon and left Kallus alive.

In 13 BBY, Gerrera then took Jyn Erso and accepted her into the partisans. By 5 BBY, Erso was one of the best fighters among the partisans. However, Gerrera was forced to abandon her due to her father, Galen Walton Erso, being an Imperial collaborator.

In 6 BBY, Gerrera and his Partisans were hired by Arane Oreida to infiltrate the Sakoola blossom festival on Inusagi. The Partisans massacred the festival and the overcome involved the deaths of Maia, Governor Cor Tophervin, the Inusagi chieftess, several Imperials and many Inusagi civilians. Some of Gerrera's members left the Partisans for less extreme rebel groups.

In 3 BBY, a member of Saw's Partisans planted a bomb in the chalet of Moff Quarsh Panaka, governor of Naboo, on the moon Onoam. The explosion destroyed the building and killed Panaka, but also nearly killed Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan, fellow rebel Bail Organa's adopted daughter, and Naboo's reigning Queen Dalné, both of whom escaped death by mere moments. Panaka's assassination caused a full lockdown of the sector and infuriated Bail, both because Panaka had been one of the select few Imperials who was neither corrupt nor cruel and because his daughter was very nearly killed.

By 1 BBY, Saw Gerrera was at odds with Senator Mon Mothma, leader of the larger rebellion in terms of how the war was to be fought. The Partisans, unlike the Alliance, had very few qualms and were willing to do whatever was deemed necessary in their fight, including openly attacking and killing civilians. The Partisan leader attempted to convince the Spectres to join his cause. Soon after, he assisted the rebels in their mission to the Jalindi relay. He and Benthic took their U-wing. Gerrera dropped proton bombs on the relay to destroy it, and rescued the Spectres from their mission.

Galactic Civil War
Following the death of Gerrera, the remaining Partisans continued his extremist legacy to thwart the Empire at any cost. After the theft of the Death Star plans, the newly formed Inferno Squad was ordered to infiltrate and eliminate the surviving Partisans.

When the rebellion began looking for a new base, another group of surviving Partisans were then approached by Leia, Jedi Luke Skywalker, Captain Han Solo, and Chewbacca after rescuing Partisan Ubin Des and Chulco Gi from the Imperials. The Partisans were attempting to stop the Empire from extracting more Kyber crystals from what remained of Jedha. Des and Gi then took the Millennium Falcon to the Partisans' new base on Jedha. There, they were brought before Benthic, who believed they should kill the Rebels.