INSURGENCY IN SOUTH VIETNAM, LAOS, SOMALI REPUBLIC, IRAQ, AND PAKISTAN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00429A001200040003-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 17, 2004
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: October 2, 1963
• Content Type: IM

Approved For Release 200 00040003.411 Co
OCI No. 2360/63
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Office of Current Intelligence
2 October 1963
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT: Insurgency in South Vietnam, Laos, Somali
Republic, Iraq, and Pakistan
1. South Vietnam
Viet Cong military activity last week de-
clined from the previous week's high point for the
year, but attacks were still at a relatively high
level. Six were in company strength, making the
number of larger-scale actions during September
(two battalion-size and 17 company-size) the great-
est for any month since June 1962. The intensi-
fied rate of activity sustained by the Viet Cong
during the past six weeks probably will continue
during the dry season which is now beginning.
The Viet Cong conducted only minor haras-
sing activity against the National Assembly elec-
tions held on 27 September, The government con-
tinues to appear in control of the situation de-
spite signs that political restiveness persists
among urban elements.
2. Laos
Communist forces have now apparently suc-
ceeded in reopening Route 7, their main supply
route into the Plaine des Jarres area from North
Vietnam, and reports suggest that they are pre-
paring for further attacks in Xieng Khouang Prov-
ince. There are also indications that the Pathet
Lao may be planning stepped-up military activity
in the Vang Vieng area north of Vientiane and in
south central Laos.
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3. Somali Republic
Fighting between dissident Somali tribes-
men and Ethiopian authorities in the Ogaden has
slackened recently, and Addis Ababa has begun to re-
turn some military units to their home stations.
The Ogaden disorders as well as Mogadiscio's failure
to make any progress toward unification of the Somalis
in Kenya have brought home to the Somali Government
leaders the weakness of their diplomatic and military
positions. As a result Mogadiscio is seeking heavy
arms from the USSR and an optimistic high-powered mil-
it rv psi
o
d
pr?ach oanmunlis na ""s cwMxo\'"LW lII Up-
tiations in Moscow result only inptoken9aidrornlighto
military equipment.
4. Iraq
The situation in northern Iraq remains es-
sentially one of stalemate. The army has pushed to
Shirwan Mazin on the Turkish border and within sight
of Turkish border posts, but now finds that this
"victory" has not ended Kurdish resistance, as it
had hoped. The government appears now to recognize
that operations in the north cannot be concluded be-
fore the advent of the autumn rains, which will pre-
clude further large-scale fighting. It has begun to
prepare winter bivouac camps in the mountainous areas
w n er mon s are e y to be a
er o
p
o attrition
punctuated by raids and counter raids, with the fight-'
ing resuming on a large scale in the spring,
5. Pakist
Insurgent activity in Pakistan is still limited
to chronic minor incidents. Kabul radio reports in-
creasing unrest in the Pushtoon tribal area of Pakistan,
near the Afghan border. Tribesmen have allegedly at-
tacked a military camp in Bajaur, north of Peshawar;
a soldier and two policemen were reportedly killed,
and a military road was "destroyed." Tribal firings
on frontier police posts have been more or less endemic.
These incidents are usually magnified by Afghan propa-
gandists demanding self-determination for their fellow
Pushtoons living on the Pakistani side of the line,
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n un
er General Daud is now in Moscow.
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