NEWEST PUTUMAYO ATTACKS TARGET GOC AND CIVILIANS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 007312

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/01/2015
TAGS: PGOV MARR MOPS PHUM SNAR CO FARC
SUBJECT: NEWEST PUTUMAYO ATTACKS TARGET GOC AND CIVILIANS
ALIKE

REF: BOGOTA 6237

Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood for Reasons 1.4 B & D

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Summary
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1. (C) On July 20, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
(FARC) guerrillas began the second offensive in under a month
against Putumayo Department. The five-day mission targeted
nine municipalities, including Mocoa, the department's
capital. As with attacks against military bases last month,
the FARC amassed 300-600 fighters against several different
targets in the area in nearly simultaneous offensives. FARC
fighters destroyed several municipalities' energy sources,
created road blocks, engaged the Colombian military forces in
battle, kidnapped civilians, blew up a major bridge, and
declared 14 local government officials military targets.
Colombian military forces have moved into the area to respond
and prevent escape across the borders into Ecuador or Peru.
End summary.

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Details of Attacks
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2. (C) Colombian military intelligence was aware that the
FARC had moved troops into the area in mid-July, but was not
prepared for the various coordinated attacks. The first took
place on July 19, when the FARC attempted to destroy the
Naranjito bridge in the municipality of Villagarzon
(Putumayo). It was left lightly damaged but still standing.
On July 20, the FARC's 32nd front dynamited an electrical
tower leaving middle and southern Putumayo municipalities
without power. The same front began a roadblock between
Mocoa and Pasto ) a major commercial route for the
department on July 21. Also on July 21, FARC front 13
destroyed the Villalobos River's bridge, making the
Mocoa-Pitalito road unpassable. On July 22, 48th front
fighters hit a SATENA airplane while it flew from Puerto
Asis. The FARC took police officers hostage on July 25 in
Piamonte while others attacked soldiers in the Santa Rosa
municipality of Cauca Department. FARC forces burned
vehicles, set fire to a tractor, and hit two HUEY helicopters
July 25. Per local officials, almost 750 families have left
their homes because of the violence. The FARC also declared
Putumayo's governor and 13 mayors military targets.

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Why now?
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3. (C) This latest offensive builds on other attacks across
the country over the last seven months. The most recent,
notable offensive was the FARC's June 25 attack on military
bases in Teteye (reftel) and other areas along the Putumayo
border with Ecuador. That attack generated bilateral tension
between the Colombian and Ecuadorian governments for weeks.
Both agreed to hold ministerial discussions to resolve border
security. Teteye attacks killed 22 soldiers and were the
deadliest one-day attacks during the Uribe Administration.
Uribe responded by overseeing the strategic response
personally and calling for greater intelligence gathering by
the military. In early July, the COLMIL dropped extensive
ordnance in the largest Colombian Air Force mission in an
attempt to kill Secretariat members leaving a high-level
meeting.


4. (C) While the GOC's counter-attack was unsuccessful, the
FARC may be retaliating for the bombing campaign nonetheless.
Leading daily "El Tiempo" reports that the attacks may have
been an attempt to distract COLMIL forces from hunting for
FARC leader and Secretariat member Raul Reyes. The Colombian
military targeted both Reyes and the 48th front recently and
the FARC may have gone on the offensive to deflect those
efforts. In either case, attacks build on the FARC's series
of public attacks before the election to undermine Uribe's
Democratic Security strategy.

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GOC Responds
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5. (U) President Uribe, MFA Carolina Barco, MOD Camilo Ospina
and Social Action Advisor Luis Alfonso Hoyos have visited
Putumayo over the last week, and vowed to remain engaged.
Uribe told the press during a July 28 visit that he had
directed the Army and Police forces to focus on solutions to
the impasse. He said, "I will not leave Putumayo on its own;
if necessary I will move the government command here until
public order is resolved." Foreign Minister Barco met with
her Ecuadorian counterpart to discuss bilateral cooperation
(septel). The Social Security Network, lead by the
President's Social Action Advisor, Luis Alfonso Hoyos,
announced on July 29 that the Network would offer social
services in the municipalities of Puerto Asis, Mocoa, and
Orito until the situation normalized. In Puerto Asis, for
example, the GOC delivered 12 tons of supplies including
canned goods, coffee, milk, and toiletries to replenish
diminishing stores, and implemented an emergency response
plan to assist the nearly 60 families displaced by the
conflict.


6. (C) Military officials have played down events over the
last week. For example, Police General Castro told the media
that the roads were re-opened on July 25 and then was
corrected as later reports revealed they remained closed.
Colonel William Quintero Ramon, the commander of the Army's
17th Jungle Brigade, resigned his assignment on July 29 after
the two Putumayo attacks, but other military officials remain
in place. Per a July 22 Colombian Army Intelligence report,
the area's residents are routinely both the victims and
collaborators in FARC attacks, making detection and
prevention more difficult. Colombian naval forces have
stationed three vessels at the tri-border area of the
Putumayo River to stop FARC forces from escaping across the
border. Colombian military officials report that the road
closures may not be lifted until August 8, further delaying
economic recovery. The San Miguel Orito pipeline was
scheduled to resume operations on August 1.


7. (C) Comment: The military is reopening infrastructure
damaged in the attacks, but Putumayo remains a vulnerable
outpost along the Ecuadorian border. The department not only
has a petroleum pipeline to attract attacks, but also lacks
sufficient troops to prevent the FARC's activities.
WOOD