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S E C R E T QUITO 002570 

SIPDIS 

SIPDIS 

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/06/2014 
TAGS: MOPS MCAP MASS PTER SNAR PREL EC CO
SUBJECT: ECUADORIAN ARMY'S 4TH DIVISION OPERATIONS AGAINST 
THE FARC 

Classified By: DCM Jefferson Brown for Reasons 1.4 (b&d) 

¶1. (C) Summary.  The Ecuadorian Army's Fourth Division has 
engaged the FARC along the border with Colombian since 
November 19, 2007.  This series of operations demonstrates 
previously uncharacteristic resolve and coordination by the 
Ecuadorian military to press the attack and to continue 
surveilling and patrolling its border to engage additional 
FARC camps.  Recent training within the Ecuadorian military 
and new political and military leadership have provided an 
apparent new resolve by the GOE to control its Northern 
Border and to remove incursions of armed insurgents within 
its territory.  End Summary. 

¶2. (S) On November 19, 2007, the 4th Division of the 
Ecuadorian Army began a still ongoing operation of a series 
of military confrontations against the FARC in Puerto El 
Carmen de Putumayo, between Santa Rosa and Quinche, along the 
San Miguel river, in the Northeastern province of Sucumbios, 
along the Colombian border.  The operation began after an 
exchange of fire between Ecuadorian military and FARC 
guerrillas at a known FARC camp.  However, unlike the 
standard operating procedures of a brief exchange of fire and 
then retreat by the FARC, this initial exchange continued 
longer than normal; the FARC held its ground and the 
Ecuadorian military continued pressing the camp.  Hours 
later, after the FARC had evacuated the site, blood and 
munitions were found at the FARC camp, along with documents 
and books which confirm that Luis Edgar Devia Silva (aka Raul 
Reyes), Secretariat Member, Spokesman and Advisor to the 
Southern Bloc of the FARC, was present at the camp.  His 
presence and likely extraction from the site is a probable 
explanation for why the FARC did not immediately retreat. 
One FARC fatality was recovered by the Ecuadorian military 
and buried on site to avoid publicity as she was a young 
uniformed woman.  Other FARC fatalities are likely but have 
not been confirmed. 

¶3. (C) Since the beginning of these operations, the Fourth 
Division has encountered three guerilla bases, including 
munitions, grenades and camouflage, and FARC identification 
tags in the same region of the San Miguel River.  The 
operation continues in its patrol and engagement of known 
FARC camps on various fronts and has sent in additional 
troops to relieve those initially involved in the operation. 
Troops from the 54th Special Operations Battalion 
Shushufindi, the 55th Jungle Battalion, the 24th Special 
Forces Group, other members of the 19th Jungle Brigade, and 
commandos from the Iwias Unit in Shell, Pastaza Province, 
have been deployed to control this zone along the Northern 
Border with Colombia.  The Ecuadorian military has suffered 
injuries, still no fatalities, but the situation remains 
tense. 

¶4. (S) General Fabian Narvaez, Commander of the Fourth 
Division, privately told the Embassy Military Group that the 
purpose of this mission was to "survey the area, locate and 
eliminate incursions of FARC guerrillas within Ecuadorian 
territory."  To do so, the Fourth Division has employed five 
Super Puma and two Gazelle helicopters, coordinating with the 
Ecuadorian Air Force.  One Super Puma and two Gazelles are 
now permanently based in Coca, Sucumbios.  General Narvaez 
said that the Fourth Division is planning a more extensive 
operation in January 2008 after additional troops complete 
jungle operations training. 

¶5. (S) General Narvaez said that his division had completely 
exhausted its supply of aviation fuel, has borrowed from the 
Ecuadorian Air Force, and pleaded for assistance from the USG 
to purchase additional fuel as well as for riverine 
operations.  Embassy's Military Group has responded by 
providing 7,000 gallons of aviation fuel to the Fourth 
Division, and is looking to provide more.  The Military Group 
has also ordered through NAS funding 22 still pending 
outboard motors to provide needed assistance in these 
Northern Border operations.  General Narvaez also expressed 
concern about confrontation with FARC camps in Ecuador that 
might be holding the three U.S. hostages.  In response, 
Embassy Quito Military Group will provide training and 
assistance in personnel recovery. 

¶6. (S) The operational capability for the Ecuadorian Army to 
patrol its Northern Border has improved somewhat after 
General Narvaez took leadership of the Fourth Division in 
July 2007.  During a recent visit to LagoAgrio, Sucumbios, 
by WHA DAS Christopher McMullen and Ambassador Linda Jewell, 
General Narvaez commented that the Fourth Division was not 
fully trained and equipped to conduct needed operations along 
the Northern Border, and that his troops have undergone a 
three-month program of training.  Since the training, Narvaez 
sent all six of the Fourth Division's Long Range 
Reconnaissance and Surveillance (LRRS) teams have been sent 
to various fronts along the Northern border to observe known 
FARC camps and take photos and videos. 

¶7. (C) Political will may have also increased after 
Ecuadorian Minister of Defense Wellington Sandoval's 
fact-finding trip to the Northern Border on November 6.  MOD 
Sandoval went to determine the validity of reported 
incursions by Colombian military into Ecuadorian territory on 
November 3.  The MOD was surprised to find a heavier than 
expected FARC presence and an unwillingness of the local 
population to reveal this presence.  On November 13, Sandoval 
said that "Ecuador maintains a border with the FARC or the 
ELN, and Bogota does not maintain effective control of its 
border region with Ecuador."  On November 26, Minister 
Sandoval stated, "We will not permit armed persons within our 
territory.  This is a sovereign country that we must defend 
and respect; we cannot have (foreign) armed troops here, and 
if we do, we must remove them." 

¶8. (C) Comment.  New military leadership appears to have 
presented the GOE with a renewed commitment to patrol and 
control the Northern Border with Colombia.  President 
Correa's fervor with regard to sovereignty adds an additional 
impetus to this commitment.  The current operation has 
received significant press coverage.  Long-term political 
will may be challenged if the Ecuadorian military incurs 
fatalities.  An increase in Ecuadorian military engagement 
along the border with Colombia could also spark an increase 
in activity by the FARC in the region.  End Comment. 
JEWELL 

=======================CABLE ENDS============================