New Irish Republican Army

New Irish Republican Army
Óglaigh na hÉireann
Also known asIrish Republican Army
LeadershipArmy Council
Foundation2012
Dates of operation2012–present
Merger ofReal IRA
RAAD
Active regionsNorthern Ireland (mainly)
Republic of Ireland
IdeologyIrish republicanism
Dissident republicanism
Irish republican legitimism
Socialism[1]
[2]
Size250–300 (as of September 2012)[3]
AlliesContinuity IRA[4]
Hezbollah (alleged)[5]
OpponentsBritish Army,
Police Service of Northern Ireland
Garda Síochána
Battles and warsDissident Irish Republican campaign
Organization(s)Saoradh (alleged political wing)[6][7][8]
Designated as a terrorist group byUnited States

The New Irish Republican Army, or New IRA, is an Irish republican paramilitary group. It is a continuation of the Real Irish Republican Army (Real IRA), which began to be called the 'New IRA' in July 2012 when Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD) and other small republican militant groups merged with it. The group calls itself simply "the Irish Republican Army".[9][10] The New IRA has launched many attacks against the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and the British Army. It is the largest and most active of the "dissident republican" paramilitary groups waging a campaign against the British security forces in Northern Ireland.[11]

  1. ^ "New Year Statements 2023". Republican News. 5 January 2023. Archived from the original on 3 September 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  2. ^ "New IRA '2023 message' heavily criticised". Irish Examiner. 3 January 2023. Archived from the original on 3 September 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  3. ^ Brady, Tom (14 September 2012). "Tom Brady: Threat level remains severe after merger of terror groups". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 17 October 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  4. ^ "New IRA and Continuity IRA discuss joint attacks". The Times. 10 August 2021. Archived from the original on 15 August 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  5. ^ "New IRA forges links with Hezbollah". The Times. 13 September 2020. Archived from the original on 23 May 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  6. ^ McGlinchey, Marisa (22 July 2021). "'While there's British interference, there's going to be action': why a hardcore of dissident Irish republicans are not giving up". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 22 July 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  7. ^ Spackman, Conor; Fee, Patrick (4 June 2019). "Saoradh's Ashe Mellon and Melaugh 'in New IRA leadership'". BBC News. Archived from the original on 8 March 2024. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  8. ^ Mooney, John (8 March 2024). "Sinn Fein reached out to political wing of New IRA". The Times. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  9. ^ McDonald, Henry (26 July 2012). "Republican dissidents join forces to form a new IRA". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 January 2020. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
  10. ^ "New IRA: full statement by the dissident 'Army Council'". The Guardian. 26 July 2012. Archived from the original on 15 January 2020. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
  11. ^ Reporters, P. A. (10 August 2023). "Who are the New IRA?". The Irish News. Retrieved 2 September 2023.