Peru: Second attack in 24 hours in VRAEM region August 1 /update 1

Event

Clashes between military forces and armed militants left one solider dead and three others injured in the Llochegua district of Huanta province (Ayacucho region) on Tuesday, August 1. The incident occurred less than a day after a military patrol was ambushed in the same district, leaving several people injured, and comes amid a military operation intended to weed out members of the Shining Path group. The attacks have been attributed to the group’s “terrorist criminals.” Further violence cannot be ruled out in the coming days and weeks.

Context

Ayacucho forms part of the VRAEM (Valley of the Apurimac, Ene, and Mantaro Rivers) region, an area that had been largely ignored by the Peruvian government until 2006, allowing criminal groups to thrive and poverty rates to remain extremely high. According to the UN, one-third of the cocaine produced worldwide comes from this area. The Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso) remains Peru's largest terrorist group, although its level of activity has fallen sharply since its peak in the 1980s and 1990s. Today, its members are principally involved in drug trafficking.

Advice

Due to the presence of armed groups, some Western governments advise against travel to the VRAEM region, as well as the Huánuco region and areas along the Colombian border.