OVERVIEW

FARC-EP flag

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia–People’s Army (FARC-EP) is a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) and one of Colombia’s most powerful violent dissident groups. Many members of the new FARC-EP rejected the peace agreement signed in 2016 between the Colombian Government and the former FARC, which had waged decades of attacks in Colombia since its founding in 1964. The FARC-EP seeks to control critical areas of Colombia, particularly those associated with drug trafficking. Since at least 2019, the group has been responsible for most of the FARC dissident (FARC-D) attacks in Colombia.The FARC-EP has engaged in numerous armed confrontations with Colombian authorities as well as the Segunda Marquetalia—a rival FARC-D faction.

OPERATING AREAS
Operates mainly in southern and northeastern Colombia; some members reside in Venezuela

MEMBERS
Approximately 2,000 fighters

TACTICS AND TARGETS
The FARC-EP conducts armed assaults, assassinations, extortion operations, and hostage takings. The group focuses most of its attacks on Colombian Government and military targets but it also attacks critical infrastructure, Colombia’s civilian population, and—occasionally—US military personnel in the country. The FARC-EP equips its members with small arms, machineguns, mines, and IEDs.

TERRORIST GROUP DESIGNATION
The US State Department designated the FARC-EP as an FTO in November 2021. That same month, the US State Department also named Nestor Gregorio Vera Fernandez, a.k.a. Ivan Mordisco; now-deceased Miguel Santanilla Botache, a.k.a. Gentil Duarte; and Euclides Espana Caicedo, a.k.a. Jhon Fredey Henao Munoz, as Specially Designated Global Terrorists.

KEY LEADERS

NOTABLE ATTACKS