The
Ulster Volunteer Force (
UVF) is an
Ulster loyalist paramilitary group in
Northern Ireland. It emerged in 1966 and is named after the
original UVF of the early 20th century. Its first leader was
Gusty Spence, a former British soldier. The group undertook
an armed campaign of almost thirty years during
the Troubles. It declared a
ceasefire in 1994 and officially ended its campaign in 2007, although some of its members have continued to engage in violence. The group is classified as a
terrorist organization by the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland and United States.