Ulster Volunteer Force

The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) is a paramilitary organization founded in 1966 by Northern Irish Protestants. It aims to maintain Northern Ireland’s status within the United Kingdom and opposes Irish nationalism and republicanism. The UVF has a history of carrying out acts of violence, including bombings and shootings, primarily targeting Irish nationalists and republicans. It considers itself a Protestant loyalist group defending Unionist interests. The UVF declared ceasefires in the 1990s and engaged in peace efforts, but it remains a designated illegal organization involved in past and, sometimes, ongoing paramilitary activities.