Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09LIMA542
2009-04-13 20:10:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Lima
Cable title:
SHINING PATH ATTACK KILLS 13 IN THE VRAE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0016 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHPE #0542 1032010 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 132010Z APR 09 FM AMEMBASSY LIMA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0398 INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION PRIORITY 2293 RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA PRIORITY 6495 RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 8230 RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES PRIORITY 3795 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 1372 RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ APR 5149 RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO PRIORITY 9705 RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO PRIORITY 2474 RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO PRIORITY 2317 RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUMIAAA/USCINCSO MIAMI FL PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L LIMA 000542
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/14/2019
TAGS: PGOV PINR PTER KHDP PE
SUBJECT: SHINING PATH ATTACK KILLS 13 IN THE VRAE
REF: LIMA 329
Classified By: DCM James Nealon for reasons 1.4b and d.
C O N F I D E N T I A L LIMA 000542
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/14/2019
TAGS: PGOV PINR PTER KHDP PE
SUBJECT: SHINING PATH ATTACK KILLS 13 IN THE VRAE
REF: LIMA 329
Classified By: DCM James Nealon for reasons 1.4b and d.
1. (C) Summary: Suspected Sendero Luminoso (SL) terrorists
ambushed military patrols near Vizcatan in the VRAE April 9,
killing 13 soldiers and injuring others. It was among the
deadliest SL attacks of recent years, and reflects a
continuing pattern of terrorist retaliation for ongoing
military operations in the area (septel). End Summary.
2. (U) On Thursday morning, April 9th, Shining Path (SL)
terrorists ambushed two military patrols in the Vizcatan
region of the Apurimac and Ene River Valley (VRAE) and killed
thirteen soldiers. (Note: The VRAE is the base of operations
for the most resilient faction of the remaining two armed SL
factions operating in Peru. The second faction operates
further north in the Upper Huallaga Valley. Septel. End
Note.) The ambush occurred near the army base at Sanabamba,
which the military established in September 2008 as part of
its Operation Excellence action to take control of the SL's
Vizcatan stronghold (ref A). Although government troops have
faced deadly SL sniper fire since the beginning of this
operation, the April 9 attack was by far the largest and
deadliest in this period.
3. (U) SL launched the ambush by remotely detonating an
improvised explosive device (IED) on the side of a hill in
the path of two military patrols, which, according to press
reports, were not following proper operational security
precautions. After the explosion caused a rockslide that
crushed some of the soldiers in the lead patrol, the SL
column attacked the survivors with gunfire and grenades.
Twelve of sixteen troops in the lead patrol died in the
initial battle. The second patrol soon caught up and
repelled the guerrillas, losing one soldier in the combat.
There are reports of at least one soldier missing.
4. (U) In a press conference, Defense Minister Antero
Flores-Araoz called the attacks a "cowardly" response to the
progress that the military is making in Vizcatan against the
Shining Path. He lamented that there will always be deaths
in war, but vowed the GOP would continue the fight and would
eventually win. Prime Minister Yehude Simon likewise called
the ambush a "desperate response" to military operations in
the zone.
Comment: Military in a Difficult Fight
--------------
5. (C) The military's efforts against the Shining Path in its
VRAE stronghold has made the troops vulnerable to attacks by
narco-guerrilla forces that have thorough knowledge of the
land and the ability to survive on the run. Given the
military's expanded efforts in the VRAE, SL harassment and
more small-scale attacks, as well as occasional large
ambushes like April 9, are likely to continue. Military and
Police officers we spoke with believe that SL is likely to
continue using home made command-detonated IEDs made from
dynamite and ANFO (ammonium nitrate fertilizer and kerosene)
because they are cheap, easy to deploy, and hard to detect in
the VRAE's jungle terrain.
MCKINLEY
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/14/2019
TAGS: PGOV PINR PTER KHDP PE
SUBJECT: SHINING PATH ATTACK KILLS 13 IN THE VRAE
REF: LIMA 329
Classified By: DCM James Nealon for reasons 1.4b and d.
1. (C) Summary: Suspected Sendero Luminoso (SL) terrorists
ambushed military patrols near Vizcatan in the VRAE April 9,
killing 13 soldiers and injuring others. It was among the
deadliest SL attacks of recent years, and reflects a
continuing pattern of terrorist retaliation for ongoing
military operations in the area (septel). End Summary.
2. (U) On Thursday morning, April 9th, Shining Path (SL)
terrorists ambushed two military patrols in the Vizcatan
region of the Apurimac and Ene River Valley (VRAE) and killed
thirteen soldiers. (Note: The VRAE is the base of operations
for the most resilient faction of the remaining two armed SL
factions operating in Peru. The second faction operates
further north in the Upper Huallaga Valley. Septel. End
Note.) The ambush occurred near the army base at Sanabamba,
which the military established in September 2008 as part of
its Operation Excellence action to take control of the SL's
Vizcatan stronghold (ref A). Although government troops have
faced deadly SL sniper fire since the beginning of this
operation, the April 9 attack was by far the largest and
deadliest in this period.
3. (U) SL launched the ambush by remotely detonating an
improvised explosive device (IED) on the side of a hill in
the path of two military patrols, which, according to press
reports, were not following proper operational security
precautions. After the explosion caused a rockslide that
crushed some of the soldiers in the lead patrol, the SL
column attacked the survivors with gunfire and grenades.
Twelve of sixteen troops in the lead patrol died in the
initial battle. The second patrol soon caught up and
repelled the guerrillas, losing one soldier in the combat.
There are reports of at least one soldier missing.
4. (U) In a press conference, Defense Minister Antero
Flores-Araoz called the attacks a "cowardly" response to the
progress that the military is making in Vizcatan against the
Shining Path. He lamented that there will always be deaths
in war, but vowed the GOP would continue the fight and would
eventually win. Prime Minister Yehude Simon likewise called
the ambush a "desperate response" to military operations in
the zone.
Comment: Military in a Difficult Fight
--------------
5. (C) The military's efforts against the Shining Path in its
VRAE stronghold has made the troops vulnerable to attacks by
narco-guerrilla forces that have thorough knowledge of the
land and the ability to survive on the run. Given the
military's expanded efforts in the VRAE, SL harassment and
more small-scale attacks, as well as occasional large
ambushes like April 9, are likely to continue. Military and
Police officers we spoke with believe that SL is likely to
continue using home made command-detonated IEDs made from
dynamite and ANFO (ammonium nitrate fertilizer and kerosene)
because they are cheap, easy to deploy, and hard to detect in
the VRAE's jungle terrain.
MCKINLEY