The Aparo sector assault represents an offensive action undertaken by the Sith Empire in the initial stages of the Great Galactic War. After the Sith's return to well-known space, the Galactic Republic exhibited a delayed response in organizing a strong defense. Consequently, the Republic's allies within the Aparo sector, situated in the Outer Rim Territories, were left completely vulnerable and became one of the primary objectives for the Empire. The Empire's successful military operation within the sector compelled the Republic's allies to surrender to the Sith and switch their allegiance.
Following centuries spent in isolation within the Unknown Regions of the galaxy, the ancient Sith Empire made its comeback to the familiar regions of space and initiated a conflict against the Galactic Republic. The Sith first emerged at the edge of the Tingel Arm, where a fleet composed of Harrower-class dreadnaughts engaged and annihilated a diplomatic envoy dispatched by the Republic, thus triggering the Great Galactic War. Subsequently, the Sith directed their attention towards the Outer Rim Aparo sector, a region located within the Tingel Arm that maintained an alliance with the Republic.
The Empire's military operation unfolded with both speed and effectiveness, commencing and concluding before the Republic could establish a structured defense of the sector. The Imperial military launched an invasion of the worlds within the Aparo sector, deploying Sith soldiers and war droids, swiftly overwhelming the local defenders. Due to the Republic's inability to effectively counter the Empire, the ruling bodies of the Aparo sector abandoned their allegiance and shifted their loyalty to the Sith Empire.
In the wake of the Aparo sector assault and the subsequent defection of its governing bodies, the Republic attempted to initiate an offensive against the Empire throughout the Tingel Arm. However, the Republic's previous allies on Belkadan and Sernpidal within the Dalonbian sector, along with Ruuria in the Xappyh sector, had also succumbed to the Sith's influence. Mirroring the situation in the Aparo sector, these worlds had become subordinate to the Empire. Consequently, instead of collaborating with the native populations of these worlds to resist the Empire, the Republic fleet found itself trapped within enemy territory, struggling to survive. These initial engagements of the Great Galactic War placed the Republic in a defensive position for several decades and played a significant role in the Empire's eventual triumph twenty-eight years later. Following the conclusion of the war, the assault on the Aparo sector was incorporated into Jedi Master Gnost-Dural's historical account detailing the commencement of the Sith invasion.
The Aparo sector assault was initially featured in the sixth episode of the Galactic Timeline, entitled Onslaught of the Sith Empire. This timeline is a compilation of web-based videos presented as historical narratives that explore the narrative foundation of the computer game Star Wars: The Old Republic. These episodes are accessible on the game's official site and are narrated by the Kel Dor Jedi Master Gnost-Dural, with voice acting provided by Lance Henriksen.
- Timeline 6: Onslaught of the Sith Empire on The Old Republic's official website (article) (backup link) (First mentioned)
- The Journal of Master Gnost-Dural
- Star Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide: Updated and Expanded