Concerned Local Citizens (CLC) are groups of local Iraqis which defend their villages, towns, neighborhoods, and urban neighborhoods from al Qaeda, Mahdi Army, and other militia/thug groups. Currently there are "over 72,000 members are active in the ranks, with over 60,000 on paid contract and 12,000 volunteers." GTWC! has been following the upsurge in local defense in Iraq since early on and CLCs have been playing an important part of the Iraq War.
The Long War Journal (part of Catholicgauze Reads) has a flash map of Iraq which contains information on CLC development and strength per province.
Most of the CLCs are located in Sunni areas (central Iraq). The north has few CLCs expect for around the Mosul area (a partially "Arabized" city where Kurd and Arab do not mix well) and the lands near Baghdad. Shiites in the south are beginning to form their own CLCs to protect against Mahdi Army and other groups. However, Sadr and the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council with its Badr Brigade are doing what they can to stop the formation of such groups. These elements fear CLCs would empower people and eliminate the need for militias and the "protection" they provide.
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