DEVELOPMENTS IN COUNTRIES ON THE COUNTERINSURGENCY LIST

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00472A001100030006-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 24, 2003
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: February 3, 1965
• Content Type: IM

Approved For
3 February 1965
OCI No. 0549/65
Copy No.
INTELLIGENCE MEMORANDUM
DEVELOPMENTS IN COUNTRIES ON THE COUNTERINSURGENCY LIST
DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE
Office of Current Intelligence
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This material contains information affecting
the National Defense of the United States
within the meaning of the espionage laws,
Title 18, USC, Secs. 793 and 794, the trans-
mission or revelation of which in any manner
to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
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OCI No. 0549/65
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Office of Current Intelligence
3 February 1965
Developments in Countries on the
Counterinsurgency s
1. Thailand
The Communists appear to be stepping
up their propaganda in Thailand. On 23 Janu-
ary a clandestine Communist-operated radio
station on the Lao -'North 'Vietnam border an-
nounced the formation of a "Patriotic Front
of Thailand," which will probably promote the
Communist line in elections slated for later
this year. In recent months the Communists
have called for the ouster of the Thanom gov-
ernment and the "imperialist master," and
formed another front called the Thai Independ-
ence Movement.
Meanwhile, the government is sched-
uled to begin on 3 February a week-long se-
curity sweep against suspected subversives
in Nakhom Phanom Province in the northeast.
Previous operations of this sort have not been
particularly fruitful and the advance public-
ity given the current one suggests that it
will do no`better.
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2. Sudan
The long-standing conflict between the
non-Communist Front of Political Parties--led by
the Ansar religious brotherhood--and the Commu-
nist-dominated Professional Front may soon lead
to renewed violence in Khartoum. If the cabinet
continues to ignore demands by the parties that
elections be held by the end of March, Ansar
leaders may make some open attempt to depose the
leftist-dominated transitional government. Such
a move could provoke army intervention on the
side of the Ansar. Although the widespread purges
in the military have seriously weakened and de-
moralized most army units, recent efforts by the
Communists to increase their own strength in the
army have met firm resistance from many senior
officers.
The Communists maintain that the elec-
tions must be country-wide, and probably hope
to continue to use the "southern problem" as
an excuse to delay them. Negotiations between
the central government and the southern dissident
organization SANU are now scheduled to begin on
12 February in Juba. The Communists, however,
apparently control half of the government dele-
gation votes, and will probably adopt an inflex-
ible bargaining position. As there seems to be
little chance that a successful compromise can
be worked out with the southerners before the
31 March deadline, a showdown between Ansar
leaders and the leftists is likely.
3. Congo
Military activity remained at a low
level last week, except for the temporary rebel
occupation of Mahagi near the Ugandan border, and
of Mwenga, southwest of Bukavu. The planned
government push to "seal off" the Sudan border
may not begin for another two weeks. Contracts
of mercenaries in Paulis and Bunia expire soon,
and their commander, Lt. Col. Hoare, is delaying
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major military movements until they can be re-
placed with new recruits. Some of the 350 re-
placements--most of them South African regulars
on leave status--have arrived at Kamina.
Large rebel concentrations remain to the
north and northeast of Stanleyville, but the se-
curity situation in the city itself and around
its perimeter has improved. Another barge con-
voy of food, ammunition, and aviation gas should
arrive soon.
No known air deliveries of arms to the
rebels by Egypt, Algeria, or Ghana have occurred
since 24 January. There is growing evidence,
however, that since the cutting of the Juba-Aba
road by southern Sudanese rebels, arms probably
stored earlier at Juba have been taken into the
northeast Congo by means of night airdrops by
unidentified planes.
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Three hundred miles downriver from
Stanleyville, a rebel build-up continues at
Lisala apparently for an attempt to capture
some 75 vehicles owned by a Unilever plantation
there. Farther south, reinforced mercenary-led
Congo Army units have failed to advance from
positions around Boende.
In the southeast, the government's po-
sition in Uvira may be improving. Uvira has re-
cently been reinforced by a small contingent of
mercenaries, and rebel activity has declined.
Limited fighting continues around Fizi; neither
the rebels nor the army has been able to ad-
vance.
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4. Laos
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The fast-moving crisis in Vientiane, touched
off by an attempted takeover of the military command
by a group of discontented officers on 31 January,
seems to be moving into the final stages. The show-
down between General Phoumi's dissident rightists
assisted by security chief General Siho, and forces
loyal to regional commander Kouprasith has apparently
been resolved in favor of Kouprasith. 25X1
Vientiane is now under his firm con-
ro Rebel troops have been dislodged from key po-
sitions in the capital. Siho's headquarters has been
reduced to rubble. Although the situation looks
bleak for Phoumi, it is possible he may find a way to
escape to either Paksane or one of the other southern
centers where some support may be forthcoming.
Whether he makes his way south or hot, his prestige
will have suffered a serious blow.
In the Thakhek area of central Laos,
the Communists have resumed operations similar
to the forays they conducted early last December.
On 30-31 January, enemy forces--reportedly in
battalion strength--launched attacks against
government regular and guerrilla forces near
Route 13 about 20-25 miles southeast of
Thakhek.
In the north, recent reports suggest
that the Communists may be preparing another
clearing operation against regular and guerrilla
forces operating in territory the Pathet Lao
claim to be within their "liberated area."
Several guerrilla units in the hills surround-
ing Muong Sai, north of Luang Prabang, were
forced from their positions in mid-January as
a result of sharply stepped-up enemy pressure.
Communist pressure on government pockets south-
west of Sam Neua continues.
Communist reinforcements have also
been moved into the hills northwest of Ban Ban,
presumably for the purpose of increasing the
security of the important Route 7 road artery
leading from North Vietnam to the Plaine des
Jarres. Last week an estimated 200 North
Vietnamese troops dispersed a Meo guerrilla
unit in this area.
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5. Colombia
A dynamite bomb was discovered in the US
Embassy in Bogota on 29 January, the first such
attempt against a US Government installation in
Colombia for many months. Found with the bomb
were a handful of anti - US military aid circu-
lars, signed by "The Juvenil Patriotic Resistance,"
a previously unknown organization.
According to the influential Colombian
Farmer's Society, 113 farmers and ranchers have
been kidnaped in the past 13 months. Their cap-
tors, presumably bandits, are said to have col-
lected more than $900,000 in ransom.
Meanwhile, a hard-line splinter group
of the regular Communist Party is attempting to
gain control of the Communist-dominated Army of
National Liberation (ELN) and other guerrilla
groups. The splinter group, known as The Commu-
nist Party of Colombia--Marxist/Leninist (PCC-ML)--
claims to have Cuban support as does the ELN.
President Belaunde has authorized the
roundup of numerous leftist extremists, accord-
ing to a clandestine source. Some of the ex-
tremists are suspected of taking part in the
arson attempt against the US Army Mission head-
quarters in Lima on 30 January. Five unidenti-
fied armed men were unsuccessful in their at-
tempt to burn the building after first disarm-
ing the Peruvian military policeman on duty out-
side. The terrorists did not enter the build-
ing, but escaped, taking with them the guard's
weapon and keys to the mission.
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7. No significant developments relating to
insurgency have been reported regarding Burundi,
Tanzania, Ethiopia, Somalia, Jordan, Iraq, Iran,
Pakistan, Indonesia, Bolivia, Brazil,'Ecuador,
Guatemala, or Honduras. (See next page for item
on Venezuela.)
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8, Venezuela
On 28 and January, two bombs
ruptured oil lines in eastern Venezuela and eight
others failed to cause damage.
Banditry which may have been the work of
members of the Armed Forces of National Liberation
(FALN) erupted in the cattle-raising western state
of Apure during the week of 18 January. At least
one rancher was killed. The national guard sub-
sequently killed at least one of the attackers
and wounded several others.
On 24 January guards at the army's gen-
eral headquarters located on the outskirts of
Caracas were fired upon by unknown assailants
who took advantage of cover provided by the sur-
rounding hills. No casualties were reported.
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