In May 2017, an insurgent uprising by the joint force of M.L.A. and V.N.A. rebellion occurred. The violent and fast armed insurgency was denounced by most in the IDU and Zamastan as illegal.

Anti-Vulkarian unrest in Northwest Vulkaria and south Vulkaria began when, in June 2017, Vulkarian separatists self-proclaimed the Vulkarian People's Republic and Thunia People's Republic and held referendums on June 11th, 2017; the separatists claimed nearly 90% voted in favor of independence. Zamastanian intelligence confirmed much of the vote was manipulated by the Malvarian Liberation Front and Vulkarian National Army oppression. Later in July 2017, fighting between the Vulkarian army and pro-Vulkarian volunteer battalions on one side, and forces supporting the M.L.F. and V.N.A. on the other side, escalated into the Conflict in Northwest Vulkaria. By December 2017 more than 16,400 people had died in this conflict and according to IDU figures it led to over half a million people becoming internally displaced within Vulkaria and two hundred thousand refugees to flee to (mostly) Zamastan and other neighboring countries. During the same period, political (including adoption of the law on lustration and the law on decommunization) and economic reforms started.

In October of 2017, terrorists from Vulkaria attacked Zamastan and killed over 430 people, and President of Zamastan Zacharias Castovia brought a new string of coalition forces with Cadair into the nation in the form of airstrikes at the request of President Brooks. The Zamastanian and Cadairian airstrikes halted in May 2019 under orders from President Anya Bishop, though the conflict had escalated in violence.

By the second half of 2018, independent observers noted that reforms in Vulkaria had considerably slowed down, corruption did not subside, and the economy of Vulkaria was still in a deep crisis.

By December 2019, more than 39,100 people had died (largely civilians) in the conflict, according to Zamastanian figures. The M.L.F. and V.N.A. had largely slowed their foreign terror operations since June 2019, but they had continued their insurgency and strikes within Vulkaria. On December 26th, 2019, a suicide attack killed 48 people at President Brooks' campaign rally in Amstelveen, bringing condolences and words of support from across the IDU. Two days later, 8 Zamastanian and 3 Legionite soldiers were killed in an ambush, prompting the two nations to conduct airstrikes for the first time since May.

On January 2nd, 2020, terrorists struck sites in 9 countries, killing 1,485 people, and prompting new action from the governments affected by the attacks.

Malvarian Liberation Front
The Malvarian Liberation Front is a Vulkarian-based and classified terror group that operates under the motivation of toppling Vulkaria's capitalist government and installing a Marxist regime in its place, as well as disrupting any support to the Vulkarian government from foreign sources. They were formed during the 1982 Vulkaria Coup D'etat, where their violent methods made them infamous. The organization has been designated as a terrorist group by Zamastan, Cadair, Legionas, Lauchenoiria, Laeral, and various other countries. The M.L.F. has mounted attacks on non-military and military targets in various countries in the four decades of its existence. They have famously chosen Zamastan as their favorite foreign target, staging attacks such as the 1982 Alanis Pride Parade Bombing, the 2017 Tofino Terror Attacks, the terror attack on the Zian Presidential Mansion in 2019.

The M.L.F. was the main opponent in the First and Second Wars in Vulkaria (1983-1991, 1999-2005), which combined saw heavy fighting and the loss of thousands of coalition soldiers and millions of civilian lives.

Their founder, Samuel Kannit, was a staunch enemy of the Vulkarian and Zamastan governments, and oversaw the group during the first and second coalition fought wars in Vulkaria. Their current leader, Van'a Kamoni, was originally considered to be more reserved, according to Zamastanian intelligence reports, indicating that he seemed to instruct his forces to remain in Vulkaria and pursue more political moves rather than terror. However, the on-going insurgency in Vulkaria has reiterated their resolve for violence.

Vulkarian National Army

The Vulkarian National Army (V.N.A.) is a terrorist militant group and a former unrecognised proto-state that follows a fundamentalist doctrine of Marxism. The VNA gained global prominence in early 2017 when it drove Vulkarian government forces out of key cities in its Northwestern Vulkarian offensive, followed by its deadly rocket attacks on the city of Amstelveen and the Thunville massacre.

The V.N.A. is widely known for its videos of executions of both soldiers and civilians, including journalists and aid workers, and its destruction of cultural heritage sites. Zamastan and Legionas are among the nations that hold the V.N.A. responsible for committing human rights abuses, genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The V.N.A. is suspected of being responsible for committing ethnic cleansing on a historic and unprecedented scale in Northern Vulkaria, killing thousands of Mevaani people, and ethnic group in Northern Vulkaria.

Their leader is Jared Bacckar, a former Vulkarian military officer who broke ranks in 2004 during the height of the Second War in Vulkaria and assumed leadership of the group in a power struggle.

Baro-Okan Resistance Alliance

The Baro-Okan Resistance Alliance (B.O.R.A.) is terror group allied with the M.L.F. and V.N.A. that operates inside major cities of Vulkaria. They specialize in assassinations, using packed urban settings as their cover and targets. Their leader is Um’i Partori, a 43 year old Vulkarian man.

Van’a Kamoni - M.L.F.
The Supreme Commander of the M.L.F., responsible for planning and authorizing the M.L.F.’s attacks, including the 2014 Seahaven Bombing in Lauchenoiria, the October 2017 Tofino Attacks in Zamastan, the December 2019 Amstelveen Bombing in Vulkaria, and the January 2020 Attacks across the IDU. He is considered to be the World’s Most Wanted Man, and is the Coalition’s Priority Target.

Jareb Bacckar - V.N.A.
Leader of the V.N.A. and former Vulkarian Army General, Bacckar is seen as the military genius behind the V.N.A.’s rapid 2017 offensive and retaliation offensive in 2019. He has been accused of war crimes, human rights abuses, and sponsoring the genocide of the Mevaani people.

Um’i Partori - B.O.R.A.
Leader of the B.O.R.A., Partori is a high value target. Coalition forces would prefer his capture rather than his death, as it is believed he may have important connections to terrorist networks across the IDU; not just the M.L.A. and V.N.A. cells.

Mikeal Pitton - M.L.F.
Pitton is a high-ranking commander in the M.L.F., responsible for coordinating several bombings in Vulkaria and across the IDU. He has been tied to the 2002 Legionas Bombings, and is considered to be the group’s second in command.

Bryn Matteo - M.L.F.
Matteo is a high-ranking commander in the M.L.F., responsible for coordinating several bombings in Vulkaria and across the IDU. He has been tied to the 2017 Tofino Attacks.

Kaleb Knightman - M.L.F.
Knightman is a high-ranking commander in the M.L.F., considered to be the group’s Chief Accountant. He is responsible for providing the group’s funds, and runs a wide-ranging underground money laundering and racketeering network.

Dire Sulsi - M.L.F.
Sulsi is a high-ranking commander in the M.L.F., overseeing a significant portion of the group’s training and recruitment.

Erik Kamoni - M.L.F.
Kamoni is a high-ranking commander in the M.L.F., overseeing much of the group’s arming and training. He is the eldest son of the group’s leader, Van’a Kamoni.

Timothy Kamoni - M.L.F.
Kamoni is another son of Van’a Kamoni and has been tied to the December 2019 Amstelveen Bombing.

Francesco Lennon - V.N.A.
Lennon is a high-ranking commander in the V.N.A, considered to be the group’s Chief Accountant. He is responsible for providing the group’s funds, and runs a wide-ranging underground money laundering and racketeering network.