The Zaarin insurrection was a conflict that raged during 3.5 ABY when Grand Admiral Demetrius Zaarin's forces seceded from the Galactic Empire and began harassing it militarily as a splinter government. They fought the Empire mainly in the Outer Rim Territories and had dealings with the Alliance to Restore the Republic, though remained independent of them. Zaarin led breakthroughs in TIE Series fighter research, and thus used TIE/D Defenders and TIE/ad starfighters, more advanced than most fighters the loyal Navy could put up. Despite the technological advantage, they were ultimately defeated. Their defeat was largely credited to the service of TIE pilot ace Maarek Stele.