Peru: Authorities capture five suspected rebels

10/09/2010

LIMA, Peru – Five suspected rebels have been apprehended in the valley of the Apurímac and Ene rivers (VRAE) in the country’s southern Ayacucho region, according to the Armed Forces Joint Command. The arrests were made earlier this week by military troops patrolling different areas of the VRAE, a region that has been under a state of emergency due to the heavy presence of drug traffickers and remaining members of the terrorist group Shining Path, according to the command. A 72-year-old man, a 51-year-old man, a 60-year-old woman, a 39-year-old woman and another man whose age was not released were all taken into custody, according to the command. The military and National Police have created a special command in the VRAE to combat the Shining Path’s remnants who are working with narcotics traffickers. The Shining Path is led by “Comrade José,” Gen. Leonel Cabrera said in August. [TV Peru.com (Peru), 08/09/2010; Peru.com (Peru), 08/09/2010; EFE (Peru), 09/09/2010]