The four groups with forces in Liberia during the civil war were the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), the National Patriotic Front (NPF), Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia (INPFL), and the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG). Little data is available on the organization of these forces other that the AFL. What does exist has been collected from photographs and first-person accounts by journalists.

The AFL were and remain a small army, which has decreased in personnel and equipment due to desertion and thievery. The AFL are presently headed by General Bowen and before the civil war consisted of 6300 troops in 10 battalions. There were 6 infantry battalions, 1 artillery battalion, 1 armored recon battalion, 1 executive mansion guard (Satue) battalion, and 2 support battalions. An aerial reconnaissance squadron with 20 propeller-driven aircraft also existed.

Infantry units are believed to follow American squad organization and field an array of old weapons including M2HB HMGs, M1918M2 BAR automatic rifles, M1919A4 LMGs, and M-16A1 rifles sometimes with M-203 grenade launchers. Doe also purchased AK-47s from Romania before he was overthrown and his military was also fielding these. Photographs during the civil war showed weapons to be in poor condition. Support equipment included 3.75" Super Bazookas, M40A2 106mm recoilless launchers, 60 and 81mm mortars, 3 M116 75mm howitzers, and 8 M101 105mm howitzers. Armored vehicles included WW II-era M3 halftracks and recently purchased MOWAG 4x4 Piranha vehicles fitting twin machineguns. Most mechanized transport was accomplished by civilian trucks. The AFL was, and likely is, composed of ill-trained and poorly motivated troops. However, the AFL were the only troops with any real organization during the war.

The guerrilla groups started under Charles Taylor's NPF banner in 1989. They are reported to have received training and aid in Libya, but probably followed American-style squad organization in the early part of the war due to Elmer Johnson's leadership. During the later part of the war, the NPF and INPFL did not appear to have any organization or discipline. Weapons maintenance appeared nonexistent, and rebels were observed going to war in bright-colored athletic gear. 

Both the NPF and INPFL fielded AK-47s (mostly from AFL deserters), G-3s, Uzi SMGs, and a large amount of PPS 43 SMGs and M-1 Garand rifles. As AFL deserters joined the rebels, their arms quality improved to include M2HBs and M-16A1/M-203s. 

ECOMOG forces came from a variety of nations in ECOWAS, but primarily Nigeria and Ghana. Troop strength increased from an initial 3,000 in August 1990 to 10,000 by February 1991. Equipment varied among the nations, and ECOMOG is not detailed here because they were not really in fighting.