New Troubles

The New Troubles are an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland. It has been described by some as a war or a "proxy civil war". Amongst British Unionists, it is also referred to as the Irish War of Conquest, while Irish Nationalists refer to it as the Unification War or the Liberation War of Northern Ireland. It is a direct continuation ofThe Troubles and is fought by paramilitary forces that have been rumoured to be supported by the Irish and British government respectively.

The Conflict

Prelude

The New Troubles have their origins in the breakup of the European Union. When the United Kingdom announced its intention to leave in 2006, the conflicts that had been put to rest by the Good Friday agreement but had never truly been resolved due to being unable to disarm some paramilitary groups which relied on superpowers rather than weaponry began bubbling up once more.
The following year saw various terrorist attacks around the Northern Irish border and escalated further as the United Kingdom made good on its announcement.

Conflict Type

War

Start Date

2008

Ending Date

ongoing

Belligerents

Unionist Paramilitary Forces

Nationalist Paramilitary Forces

Strength

unknown

unknown

Casualties

thousands

thousands

Objectives

maintaining Northern Ireland as a territory of the United Kingdom

unification of Ireland and Northern Ireland under the country of Ireland