SALVADOR REBELS MAKE GAINS AND U.S. ADVISERS ARE GLUM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85M00364R001502580031-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 31, 2008
• Sequence Number: 31
• Publication Date: November 4, 1983
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Approved For Release 2008/01/31 : CIA-RDP85MOO364RO01502580031-0
.THE NEW YORK TIMES - 4 November 1983
Salvador RE bees' : ake Gains
'And U.S. Advisers Are Glum
By LYDIA CHAVEZ
;pedal m Tla _ York Tlmm
The problem was complicated when
two companies sent to reinforce the
troops in Tejutepeque were ambushed
ontheway-
A simfar sitution evolved on Mon-
day in Ciudad Barrios, a town of 20,000
in the eastern province of San Miquei.
The town was defended by some 80 na-
tional guardsmen. who fled six hours
after the attack began and unwittingly
headed toward guerrilla territory.
"It doesn't look like there was much
effort to keep the place." another mili-
tary'advisersaid.
Reinforcements Pinned Down
Two companies sent to reinforce the
national guardsmen were pinned down
by an ambt+sh less than a mile from
from their starting point. The compa-
nies were from a battalion that re-
cently returned troth six weeks. _of
training at the new American staffed
training base in Honduras.
Military advisers are further wor-
ried are slowly
tied because the -guerriila-
encroaching on San Vicente. which has
been billed as the make-it -break-it
I example of what the Salvadoran mih-
tary is capable of doing.
The San Vicente program. planned
by American military advisers, was
designed to show thaarmy and add
rid a a province of guerrillas
protect the population while the Gov
ernment undertook "redevelopment
programs.
of improve-
There have been signs
meat in San Vicente since the plan
began in June, but already two towns
have been attacked and' many of the
guerrillas who left before the offensive.
began have returned.'
SAN SALVADOR, Nov. 3 leftist dives. are making one hell of a chal-
insurgents have taken the initiative in lenge of whom say
the four-year-old civil war, killing The advisers. many ahem sty
more than 800 Salvadoran soldiers in they are' y here, have t
the last two months, capturing 400 and finish their genta discouragement wit ex-
greatly extending the country's con- pressed to overcome nt its con
military zone, a hereto United States army's nroblems and with setbacks to an
aryy advisers isers here.. operation in San Vicente planned and
monitored by the Americans'
The advisers said that since the sum-',
mer, when they interpreted a lull in. ? guem7las have the initiative
fighting as a sign that the army bad im . nod. ~e question that," initiative
prcved its y, athe gainst ore viser said. Another just shook his head
towns from ownfro attacks cenr al Sat ado in agreement when asked if he would
t17om central E Salvador recommend that the United States pur
than had
to the Aonduran harder. sue a politicalsdution more diligently.
rho fighting since September, they the past, military advisers criti:
said, has affected nine of the country's the army's 7A,000 men for staying . cized 14 provinces. in their barracks and not patrolling the
Army's Problems IPexsist . countryside. Now the complaint is that
The advisers added that the insur- while they are in the field, they are
gents often met little resistance from staying the 7,000 in guerrillas one place or and not pursuing
the Salvadoran Army. The they setting ambu-
, army, -
said, seemed to be struggling with the shoo.
The army's tactical deficiencies
.same problems that hsve .wp agued it have been aggravated by political ten- i
over the last four years: low morale, sions within the high command. Amen=
logistical weak support and divisions can Embassy officials were hoping this
arc ;rig its ts commanders. week for changes that would eliminate
Some troops have fled their positions some of the ire ffective field acne: staff
without punting up a fight. the advisers commanders as well as some men con.
said. As a result, the advisers are now netted with death squad activities.
painting a gloomy picture of the coon- But only changes in orders issue
try's military situation. insignificant ones at the
nv~Aftv were They said guerrilla gains bad in ef- ATuesday
'unior
evel. fect opened a northern corridor from. peps most demoralizing to Salva-
doran El Salvador) to the east. Before doran Army Officers and American ad-
September, guerrilla forces had to take visors has been two recent battles in
a roundabout route from their bases in which the army shag
the central province of Cuscatldn to willingne~ put stron g reinforce-
MorarAn province in the east. Now they and had difficulty }n
can move virtually unimpeded straight . ments. On Sunday, the guerrillas. attacked
across northern El Salvador. ' Tejutepegce. a tow' of 8,000 people
MGuerrillas More Mobile some 37 miles north of the capital.
by 180 soldiers,
. -
and whom guarded g fled to the nearby fawn
gas are military advisers said. town more unified, have many ofcl t of obasco changed into civili
the gauerrrillrill. was
advisers-
, accord to military
an intelligence and are much more
sum- t ition
e
h
p
e
t
mobile than they were before t m a Cm eas
A 180-man uni
unt if they have
a
shoud be able to -
...j, msitians and stay and fight." one
-They sure are conducting them- advisers?dd-
selves in a very effective manner, one
American adviser. said. "'The subver-
Approved For Release 2008/01/31 : CIA-RDP85MOO364RO01502580031-0
 Approved For Release 2008/01/31 : CIA-RDP85M00364RO01502580031-0
Approved For Release 2008/01/31 : CIA-RDP85M00364RO01502580031-0