stay-behind
Don't go yet
A stay-behind is a person or group positioned to remain in territory expected to fall under enemy control, typically to conduct intelligence gathering, sabotage, or resistance operations.
The term often appears in discussions of Cold War-era clandestine networks: NATO organized stay-behind units across Western Europe in case of Soviet invasion.
As an adjective, it describes such arrangements: stay-behind operations, stay-behind forces.
Concealed operatives awaiting orders
- sleeper agentEmbedded spy awaiting activation
- moleSubterranean insectivore
- dead dropSecret exchange location
- safehouseSecure secret shelter
handler · assets · tradecraft · cipher · courier · surveillance · counterintelligence · double agent
Capacity to withstand force
- partisansStaunch factional supporters
- guerrillaIrregular armed fighter
- sabotageDeliberate disruption of operations
- insurgencyArmed uprising against authority
irregular warfare · rearguard · special operations · clandestine · covert · asymmetric warfare · occupation · underground
sleeper cell
Concealed operatives awaiting orders
- sleeper agentEmbedded spy awaiting activation
- moleSubterranean insectivore
- dead dropSecret exchange location
safehouse · handler · assets · tradecraft · cipher · courier · surveillance · counterintelligence · double agent · infiltration
resistance
Capacity to withstand force
- partisansStaunch factional supporters
- guerrillaIrregular armed fighter
- sabotageDeliberate disruption of operations
insurgency · irregular warfare · rearguard · special operations · clandestine · covert · asymmetric warfare · occupation · underground · cell structure
stay-behindevacuee
One moved from danger
leaver · refugee · émigré · escapee · displaced person
stay-behindvanguard
Foremost position or group
advance party · invader · liberator · extraction team · frontline troops
stay, behind, stays, stayed, staying, stayer, stayers, overstay, overstayed