The Provisional IRA, or Provisional Irish Republican Army, was an armed paramilitary organization that emerged in Northern Ireland in 1969. It aimed to end British rule in Northern Ireland and reunify Ireland. The group was formed as a response to perceived discrimination against the Catholic community and sought to protect its members from violence. The Provisional IRA engaged in various forms of armed struggle, including bombings and shootings, primarily targeting British security forces and infrastructure. The organization declared a ceasefire in 1994, which eventually led to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, a significant political development aimed at resolving the conflict in Northern Ireland.