Southern Bloc of the FARC-EP
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The Southern Bloc of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia was the first bloc to exist and is where the roots of the guerrilla movement lie. The bloc has been held responsible for several notorious attacks, including the infamous "donkey-bomb", numerous attacks against military bases, as well as Íngrid Betancourt´s kidnapping. It was also blamed by government investigators and prosecutors for the bombing of the El Nogal club. FARC itself had earlier denied that any of its members were responsible for the attack.
The bloc operates in much of the area that borders with Ecuador and Perú, with some supposed incursions into foreign territory. The government suspects that many FARC leaders may be hiding in the jungles protected by the South Bloc.
The specific divisions of the group are arguable. Because of the current conflict existing in the country, much of the information recovered is conflicting and should not be taken as absolutely reliable. Some of the believed divisions or 'fronts', as they are commonly called, are shown below. It is worth noting that many of these fronts sometimes work together towards a certain mission, while others are further divided into 'columns' and 'companies' with a smaller number of members. For more general information see FARC-EP Chain of Command.
Contents |
[edit] Commanders
| Alias | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| "Fabián Ramírez" | José Benito Cabrera Cuevas | |
| Joaquín Gómez, "Usuriaga" | Milton de Jesús Toncel Redondo | |
| Sonia | Nayibé Rojas | Captured and extradited in 2004. |
[edit] 2nd Front
Also known as the Isaías Pardo Front, up to 120 militants form it. It operates mostly in the Nariño Department and the Caquetá Department.
| Alias | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ovidio Matallana | Bladimir Ballén Garzón |
[edit] 3rd Front (dismantled)
Up to 100 militants form this front that operates mostly in the Caquetá Department and the Huila Department. Its current leadership is unclear.
| Alias | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| "Montoya" | Hernando Medina | Killed in 2005. |
[edit] 13th Front
Up to 150 militants form this front that operates mostly in the Caquetá Department and the Huila Department.
| Alias | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| "Caballo" | Alexánder Duque |
[edit] 14th Front (dismantled)
Up to 250 militants form this front that operates mostly in the Caquetá Department. It is considered one of the most important fronts of the Southern Bloc.
| Alias | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Fabián Ramírez | José Benito Cabrero Cuevas | Commander of the Southern Bloc. |
| Faiber | Captured in 2005. |
[edit] 15th Front
Also known as the José Ignacio Mora Front, up to 250 militants form it. It operates mostly in the Caquetá Department. The group is considered responsible for Íngrid Betancourt´s kidnapping.
| Alias | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Wilmer | ||
| "El Mocho César", "César Arroyabe" | Josué Ceballos | Killed in 2002. |
[edit] 32nd Front
Up to 170 militants form this front that operates mostly in the Putumayo Department and the Caquetá Department.
| Alias | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| "Robledo" | Humberto Caballero Cortés | |
| Arley Leal | Regulo Leal | Captured in 2007. |
[edit] 48th Front
Also known as the Antonio José de Sucre, up to 120 militants form it. It operates mostly in the Putumayo Department. The group is very active in the border with Ecuador and was suspected of sheltering Raúl Reyes before his death in a Colombian cross border raid on 01 March 2008.
| Alias | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Édgar Tovar | Ángel Gabriel Lozada | |
| Uriel | Nelson Yaguará Méndez | Captured in Ecuador in 2005. |
[edit] 49th Front
Up to 170 militants form this front that operates mostly in the Caquetá Department.
| Alias | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| "El Mojoso" | Wilson Peña Maje |
[edit] 61st Front
Also known as the Timanco Front, up to 70 militants form it. It operates mostly in the Huila Department.
| Alias | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| "Águila Negra" | Bercelio Castro | Arrested in 2007. |
| "Franklin" | ||
| "El Flaco" |
[edit] Mobile Column Teófilo Forero (dismantled)
Up to 90 specialized militants form this powerful group that operates mostly in the Huila Department and the Caquetá Department, with much urban activity around the country.
| Alias | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| "El Paisa" | Óscar Montero | |
| "Genaro" | KIA in 2008. | |
| "Yerbas" | Humberto Valbuena Morales | Captured in 2006. |
[edit] Mobile Column Yesid Ortiz
According to the Colombian newspaper El Tiempo the Yesid Ortiz Mobile Column was created by fusioning remanants of the Teofilo Forero Mobile Column, the 3rd and 14th fronts into a single group which were weakened by the Military of Colombia as part of the Plan Patriota. The main objective of this unit according to El Tiempo is to recover lost territory in the Department of Caqueta.[1]
[edit] See also
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