FARC ARMS PROCUREMENT: A CURRENT ASSESSMENT

Created: 12/5/2001

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

FARC Armsurrent Assessment

Mobttst. Varied, nnd Flexible Networks | lpn

foreea in Colombia

The Revolutionary Armed Force* ofobtains weapons and amnTuairion fromof sources, including regional blackcapture orat least one caseann. market Tbe local bUck marketdabwly low-risk and convenient sourcearms acd annnom'tion aad probablyxookm cooipourxSed byuse of recruodant supply channels.

Largely Dependent on Regional Sources _

The FARC during the past two decades ba* procured miliury weapon* and anununitioa ia the countries surrounding Colombia and from Central America, where surplus weapons mxn Cold War-era

t are available on tbe black marketoutes and networks arc well established. Many regional black market arms traffickers also arc involved in the narcotics trade and arc willing to take lint

FARC

element* in Out past year rem finely

Dtrcooca foe "

This Biscssmetit wa* prepared by the Office of Terrorism Analysis in responseSSOLTfllCOM request. Comments and pooics arc welcome and may be directed lo thel

1KM acquisition has enabled llargely rearm ite front line elementsimple, rugged, and reliable standardsimplifying the group's logistic and traininglo expand its total number of personnel under arms by transferring older weapons of mixed types to militia groups and coca-cultivating peasants.

and generally small size of tbewith Colombia's lengthy and porousthese deliveries particularly hard for security forces to detect. The FARC's use of multiple, independent anas sources will also limit the impact of seizures oro dismantle trafficking organizations.

While the FARC is generally able to satisfy its logistical retjuirement.'i without resorting to hijih profile gray market deals, its successful purchase of assault rifles9 may encourage the group to use international arms dealers to procure specialized ma (end or large quantities of weapons not readily available from its normal sources.

The ABC and ELN Q

I both the United Sdf-DcJense Forces. Colombia (AUC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN) make use of black market arms procTircment networks and suppliersin some cases,those employed by the FARC. Tbe AUC also made use of the tntcroational gray market for major arms purchases oo at least two occasions1

Outlook

The black market shipments sustaining the FARC will be difficult to interdict Tbe metliods and routes used by arms traffickers mirror those used to smuggle narcotics, and tbe murky nature of the black market

Original document.

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