List of Provisional IRA ambushes

This is a list of ambushes carried out by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA; latterly IRA without "Provisional") during the Troubles. Most targeted "Crown Forces" within Northern Ireland.

Ambush Date Target IRA strength Government strength IRA losses Government losses
Dungiven landmine and gun attack 24 June 1972 British Army 1 ASU 1 Army Convoy None 3 British soldiers killed
7 wounded
1 vehicle destroyed
1 vehicle damaged
Drummuckavall ambush 22 November 1975 British Army 12 volunteers 1 infantry section None 3 British soldiers killed
1 wounded
Garryhinch ambush 16 October 1976 Garda Síochána None 1 Garda killed
4 wounded
1978 Crossmaglen ambush 21 December 1978 British Army 4–5 volunteers
1 technical
8 soldiers None 3 British soldiers killed
Warrenpoint ambush 27 August 1979 British Army 1 active service unit (ASU) 50 soldiers None 18 British soldiers killed
1 vehicle destroyed
1 British Army Wessex helicopter damaged
Dungannon land mine attack 16 December 1979 British Army 1 ASU 1 mobile patrol None 4 British soldiers killed
1 vehicle destroyed
Glasdrumman ambush 17 July 1981 British Army ~7 volunteers 18 soldiers None 1 British soldier killed
1 wounded
1989 Jonesborough ambush 20 March 1989 Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) 6 volunteers 2 constables
(Harry Breen and Bob Buchanan)
None Breen and Buchanan were both killed
Operation Conservation 6 May 1990 British Army 1 ASU 1 Infantry section None 1 British soldier killed
1990 Lough Neagh ambush 10 November 1990 RUC 1 ASU 2 constables (Thomas Taylor and David Murphy)
Later joined by 1 former Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) soldier (Norman Kendall) and 1 civilian (Keith Dowey)
None 4 killed
Mullacreevie ambush 1 March 1991 British Army (UDR) 1 ASU 1 mobile patrol None 2 British soldiers killed
2 wounded
1 vehicle destroyed
1992 Cappagh ambush 12 May 1992 British Army 1 ASU British Army foot patrol None 1 British soldier lost his legs[1]
1993 Fivemiletown ambush 12 December 1993 RUC
British Army
2 ASUs 1 mobile patrol
1 helicopter (follow-up operation)
None 2 constables killed
1 vehicle disabled
1 British Army Lynx helicopter fired at in the follow-up operation
Killeeshil ambush 15 July 1994 RUC 1 ASU
1 technical
1 mobile patrol None 3 constables wounded
2 civilians wounded
1 vehicle disabled

References

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  1. ^ Melaugh, Martin. "Cain: Chronology of the Conflict 1992". Conflict Archive on the Internet. Retrieved 21 February 2022.