At least three suspected Shining Path guerillas were killed March 20 in a gun battle with Peruvian solidiers in Huachocolpa, Huancavelica department. According to a statement from Peru's Defense Ministry, the confrontation occurred in the early morning hours when soldiers were patrolling the area for a group of "terrorists" from the Shining Path's "Comrade Alipio" faction who recently moved into the region and are believed to be working with cocaine traffickers. (Living in Peru, AP, March 21)

See our last posts on Peru and supposed Shining Path attacks.