Western Bloc of the FARC-EP

The Western Bloc of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia was the smallest of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia's (FARC) blocs in size, although not in military capability. It was often held responsible for attacks that occurred in Cali and the surrounding area. The specific divisions of the group are arguable. Some of its divisions or fronts, as they were commonly known as, are shown below. Many of these fronts worked together at times towards a certain mission, while others were further divided into columns and companies with a smaller number of members. For more general information, see FARC-EP Chain of Command.

Commanders

Alias Name Note
Marco Aurelio Buendía Luis Alfonso Guevara Álvarez Killed in 2003.[1]
Pablo Catatumbo Jorge Torres Victoria [2]
Gustavo López Gómez, "Pacho Chino" Miller Munar Munar [3]

6th Front

The 6th Front was also known as the Hernando González Acosta Front. It was composed of 400 to 500 people as of 2011.[4] It operated mostly in the Cauca and Valle del Cauca Departments.

Alias Name Note
Sargento Pascuas, "Humberto" Miguel Ángel Pascuas [5] One of the founders of the guerrilla in 1964, Front commander.
Rubén Operational commander[6]
El Zorro Oscar Ivan Gugu One of the 'leaders' of FARC's 6th Front. Captured in January 2012.[7]

On September 19, 2008, heavy fighting occurred between the Colombian Army and the FARC's sixth front during an attack on Toribío, Cauca Department. On April 27, 2013, 17 members of the front were captured while they attempted to steal a helicopter from the Colombian Armed Forces.[8]

Mobile Column Alonso Cortés

The Mobile Column Alonso Cortés, composed of up to 50 men, operated in the same area as the 6th Front.

Alias Name Note
El Mocho Ricardo Morales Second in charge of the Mobile Column Alonso Cortés. Arrested in February 2011 [9][10]
"El Paisa" or "William" Carlos Mario Cardona León Captured in April 2011.[11]

8th Front

The 8th Front was composed by up to 80 men and operated mostly in the Cauca Department and along the Pacific coast.

Alias Name Note
Ramírez N/A Killed in 2006, apparently by ELN.[12]
Yesid Arlex Porras Gómez Captured in 2006.[13]
"El Rojo" Captured in 2003.[14]

29th Front

The 29th Front was composed of up to 250 men and operated mostly in the Nariño Department. It included the mobile column Daniel Aldana, which operated in the Tumaco area. In late April 2013, 13 alleged members of the column were captured.[15]

Alias Name Note
Aldemar, Jhon Jairo [16]
Anuar Orlando Cardozo Captured in 2005.[17]
Camilo, Ricardo Jairo Cuarán Collazos Abandoned FARC in 2003 and found exile in Chile.[18]

30th Front

Also known as the José Antonio Páez Front, the 30th Front was composed of up to 300 people. It operated mostly in the Cauca and Valle del Cauca Departments. The front led drug trafficking activities in the areas near the Yurumanguí River, and it was responsible for multiple attacks against civilians on Colombia's Pacific coast.[19][unbalanced opinion?] In March 2011, 10 guerillas were killed by the army and 5 others were captured. On October 2, 2011, 3 guerillas were killed and 2 were captured.[19] On February 11, the 30th front attacked an army base, killing 3 and injuring 18 members of the Colombian army.[20]

Alias Name Note
Mincho Jorge Neftali Umenza Velasco, or Herminsul de Jesús Velasco 1st commander.[21] Killed in a bombardment in October 20, 2011 [22][23]
Jefferson Jaime Renteria Mosquera Commander of a special unit of the 30th Front. Demobilized in December 2011 with 9 others guerrillas of the 30th Front[24]
Freddy Luis Eduardo Prada González [25]

Mobile column Miller Perdomo forms a part of this front.[26]

60th Front

The 60th Front was composed of up to 60 men and operated mostly in the Cauca Department.

Alias Name Note
"El Grillo" Gilberto Arroyabe [27]
"Arturo" N/A Killed in 2006.[28]

Mobile Column Jacobo Arenas

The Mobile Column Jacobo Arenas was composed of up to 300 men and operated mostly in the Cauca Department. The column is suspected of an attack which killed six soldiers on February 9, 2009.[29]

Alias Name Note
Caliche, Floresmiro Acosta Carlos Patiño killed in 2013 [30]
'Eladio' Killed in 2009 [31]
Kinkón Carlos Duval Ilipio Dizú Captured in 2006.[32]

Mobile Column Arturo Ruiz

The Mobile Column Arturo Ruiz was one of the FARC's elite units, among its most notorious operations is the kidnapping of the Valle del Cauca deputies on April 11, 2002.[33][34]

Alias Name Note
Arley Yurgen Villamizar [35] Captured in 2010 [35]

Mobile Column Gabriel Galvis

The Mobile Column Gabriel Galvis operated in Valle del Cauca. It had 110 fighters or more as of 2011.[36]

Mobile Column Víctor Saavedra

The Mobile Column Víctor Saavedra operates in Valle del Cauca and, especially, in the mountains east of Tuluá.[37]

Urban Front Manuel Cepeda Vargas

The Urban Front Manuel Cepeda Vargas was composed by up to 50 men and was one of the FARC's strongest factions in Cali.

Alias Name Note
El Enano Chief of militias in Cali[38]
Narices Iván Cárdenas Carrillo [39] Killed in 2010 [40]
Santiago Gustavo Arbeláez Cardona Arrested in 2008.[41]
J.J. Milton Sierra Gómez Killed in 2007.[42]
Farid, Rafael Gabriel Antonio Carvajal Captured in 2005.[43]
"Miller Chacón" or "El Médico" KIA in May 2011.[44][45]

References

  1. ^ Presidencia de la República. "ABATIDO ALIAS 'MARCO AURELIO BUENDÍA' CABECILLA DEL COMANDO OCCIDENTE DE LAS FARC" October 31, 2003. Available online. Accessed May 23, 2007.
  2. ^ Milenio. "Indagan a una nueva generación de narcos" October 17, 2006. Available online. Accessed May 23, 2007.
  3. ^ Stratfor. "FARC" Available online. Accessed May 17, 2007. Requires login.
  4. ^ El Pais S.A. "Violencia en el Cauca, herida que no cicatriza". Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  5. ^ ""Pascuas" es el azote del norte del Cauca". www.elcolombiano.com. 24 July 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  6. ^ "Golpe contra las Farc en el norte del Cauca". www.elcolombiano.com. November 4, 2011.
  7. ^ "FARC ringleader captured by Colombian army". Colombia News - Colombia Reports. Archived from the original on 12 January 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  8. ^ "Capturan en Puerto Tejada a 17 miembros de las Farc". Vanguardia.com. 27 April 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  9. ^ "Capturan a alias 'El Mocho' del anillo de seguridad de 'Alfonso Cano'". Archived from the original on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2011-02-19.
  10. ^ "Capturado alias 'El Mocho', anillo de seguridad de 'Alfonso Cano'". Archived from the original on 16 December 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  11. ^ Micrositios Content Manager. "Contacto - Ejercito Nacional de Colombia". Ejrcito Nacional de Colombia. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  12. ^ FARC-EP. "Comunicado del Bloque Caribe de las FARC" February, 2007. Available online. Accessed June 10, 2007.
  13. ^ Policía Nacional de Colombia. "CAPTURADO EN CALI ARLEX PORRAS GÓMEZ, SEGUNDO CABECILLA Y JEFE MILITAR DEL OCTAVO FRENTE DE LA ORGANIZACIÓN ARMADA TERRORISTA" June 30, 2006. Available online[dead link‍]. Accessed May 23, 2007.
  14. ^ Derechos Humanos de Colombia. "Bitácora de Prensa del 18 al 24 de febrero de 2003" February 23, 2003. Available online. Accessed May 23, 2007.
  15. ^ "Golpe a la columna 'Daniel Aldana' de las Farc". Vanguardia.com. 29 April 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  16. ^ Canal RCN. "Enfrentamiento entre frentes 60 y 29 de las Farc originó asesinato de diputados." July 28, 2007. Available online. Accessed July 29, 2007.
  17. ^ Ejército Nacional Colombiano. "Captured second Farc 29th squad commander" August 31, 2005. Available online. Accessed May 26, 2007. Translation from Spanish.
  18. ^ Il Notiziario. "Chile otorgó residencia a jefe del Frente 29 de las Farc" November 29, 2004. Available online Archived 2007-07-26 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed May 26, 2007.
  19. ^ a b "FARC commander demobilizes along with 9 other guerrillas". Colombia News - Colombia Reports. Archived from the original on 2 February 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  20. ^ "FARC attack southwest Colombia army base; 3 killed, 18 injured". Colombia News - Colombia Reports. Archived from the original on 13 February 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  21. ^ "Colombian Police Seize High-Tech Drug Sub". Fox News Latino. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  22. ^ Micrositios Content Manager. "Contacto - Ejercito Nacional de Colombia". Ejrcito Nacional de Colombia. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  23. ^ Juan Manuel Santos [@JuanManSantos] (October 20, 2011). "Felicitaciones a la Fuerza Pública y al Ministro de Defensa por el contundente golpe contra las FARC en el que fue abatido alias "Mincho"" (Tweet) (in Spanish). Retrieved July 19, 2021 – via Twitter.
  24. ^ "Comando especial del Frente 30 de las Farc se desmovilizó en Buenaventura". Archived from the original on January 1, 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  25. ^ Fiscalía General de la Nación. "ASEGURADO LUIS ALFREDO PRADA GONZÁLEZ POR REBELIÓN" July 24, 2002. Available online Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed May 26, 2007.
  26. ^ "Dos militares muertos y cuatro heridos en enfrentamiento con las Farc". ElEspectador. Archived from the original on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  27. ^ La Patria. "Farc y Eln: guerra por la coca en el sur" Available online[permanent dead link‍]. Accessed May 26, 2007.
  28. ^ Ejército Nacional de Colombia. "Cae máximo cabecilla del frente Tulio Varón de las FARC" December 23, 2006. Available online. Accessed May 26, 2007.
  29. ^ "Six soldiers killed In FARC attack in Cauca". Colombia News - Colombia Reports. Retrieved 16 December 2014.[permanent dead link‍]
  30. ^ elterrosimo.net "FARC-EP" June 6, 2006. Available online Archived 2007-06-05 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed May 26, 2007.
  31. ^ Micrositios Content Manager. "Contacto - Ejercito Nacional de Colombia". Ejrcito Nacional de Colombia. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  32. ^ Vicepresidencia de la República. "Bitácora del 19 al 25 de julio" July 25, 2006. Available online. Accessed May 26, 2007.
  33. ^ "El Tiempo:Cronología del secuestro de los doce diputados del departamento del Valle del Cauca".
  34. ^ Micrositios Content Manager. "Contacto - Ejercito Nacional de Colombia". Ejrcito Nacional de Colombia. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  35. ^ a b "Capturan a presunto cabecilla de las Farc y a un miliciano del Eln en Norte de Santander". eltiempo.com. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  36. ^ El Pais S.A. "Las Farc han multiplicado sus acciones en Pradera y Florida". Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  37. ^ El Pais S.A. "Un militar muerto y otro herido en atentado de las Farc en Tuluá". Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  38. ^ El Pais S.A. "Capturados tres presuntos guerrilleros de las Farc en el oriente de Cali". Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  39. ^ El Tiempo. "'Narices', comandante del frente 'Manuel Cepeda', de las Farc, sería responsable de atentado en Cali " September 2, 2008. Available online. Accessed September 2, 2008.
  40. ^ "Abatido jefe de las Farc que participó en secuestro de los 12 diputados de Cali". eltiempo.com. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  41. ^ El Tiempo. "Detienen a alias 'Santiago', presunto jefe del frente 'Manuel Cepeda' de las Farc en Buenaventura" May 8, 2008. Available online. Accessed May 8, 2008.
  42. ^ El País. "Dado de baja 'J.J.', líder del frente Manuel Cepeda Vargas de las Farc." June 15, 2007. Available online. Accessed June 23, 2007.
  43. ^ Ejército Nacional de Colombia. "Contundentes resultados del Ejército contra grupos terroristas" April 13, 2005. Available online. Accessed May 26, 2007.
  44. ^ Micrositios Content Manager. "Contacto - Ejercito Nacional de Colombia". Ejrcito Nacional de Colombia. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  45. ^ "Comando General Fuerzas Militares de Colombia". Archived from the original on 2011-09-27. Retrieved 2011-05-18.