DISSIDENT FARC GROUP ATTACKS COLOMBIAN

UNCLAS BOGOTA 00555 E.O. 12356: N/A TAGS: PINS CO SUBJECT: DISSIDENT FARC GROUP ATTACKS COLOMBIAN NAVY BOAT ¶1. ON JANUARY 14 A DISSIDENT COLUMN OF FARC GUERRILLAS ATTACKED A COLOMBIAN NAVY BOAT ON PATROL IN THE MAGDALENA RIVER, SOUTH OF BARRANCABERMEJA IN SANTANDER DEPARTMENT. ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS, THREE MARINES WERE KILLED AND THREE OTHERS WOUNDED. THE NAVY BOAT WAS FIRED UPON BY APPROXIMATELY 20 MEN ARMED WITH MORTARS AND SUB-MACHINE GUNS. - ¶2. MILITARY SOURCES INDICATED TO REPORTERS THAT FOUR NAVY BOATS WERE EN ROUTE TO ECOPETROL INSTALLATIONS IN THE TOWN OF CASABLE TO REFUEL AND THEN WERE TO CONTINUE PATROLLING THE MAGDALENA RIVER WHEN THE SURPRISE STRIKE OCCURRED. THE MASKED GUERRILLAS ATTACKED FROM SPEEDBOATS AND THEN FLED DOWN RIVER, AFTER SEIZING ARMS FROM SOME OF THE NAVY BOATS. - ¶3. THE SAILORS IDENTIFIED THE GUERRILLAS AS MEMBERS OF THE FARC. THE BOGOTA PAPER "EL TIEMPO" REPORTED HAVING RECEIVED A COMMUNIQUE FROM THE DISSIDENT RICARDO FRANCO FRONT WHICH PROCLAIMED THE FRONT'S INTENTION TO CONTINUE ARMED COMBAT. - ¶4. COMMENT: THIS IS THE LATEST AND MOST VIOLENT OF SEVERAL RECENT INCIDENTS WHICH HAVE BEEN VARIOUSLY ATTRIBUTED TO ELN AND FARC GUERRILLAS. END COMMENT. - ¶5. DAO COMMENT: THIS IS THE FIRST MAJOR INCIDENT IN THE RELATIVELY QUIET MAGDALENA MEDIO REGION IN SEVERAL MONTHS. IT IS ALSO THE FIRST TIME THAT THE INSURGENTS HAVE ATTACKED THE MARINE CORPS/NAVY PATROL BOATS WITH SUCH BRUTALITY AND IMPUNITY. AFTER CORINTO THE GENERAL TREND IN THE MOST RECENT GUERRILLA/TERRORIST ACTS IS TO PLACE THE BLAME ON FARC DISSIDENT GROUPS OR THE PROSCRIBED ELN--WHILE THE PEACE PROCESS MOVES ON OVER VERY SHAKY GROUNDS. END DAO COMMENT. TULL