The Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia, also known as the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia or AUC, was a right-wing paramilitary group that operated in Colombia in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The group was responsible for numerous human rights abuses, including massacres, forced disappearances, and drug trafficking. Synonyms for this notorious organization might include "anti-insurgency group," "paramilitary force," or simply "death squad." The AUC was eventually disbanded in 2006, but its legacy of violence and terror continues to have a profound impact on Colombian society.