OVERVIEW

Shining Path flag

Shining Path, or Sendero Luminoso (SL) in Spanish, is an insurgent group in Peru that began its armed actions in 1980 but has been in decline since the arrest of its founder, Abimael Guzman, in 1992. Following Guzman’s arrest, the group shifted its focus from mostly antigovernment operations to activities supporting narcotrafficking. Despite SL’s diminished operational capacity, it still conducts sporadic lethal attacks against Peruvian targets, usually through ambushes. Circa 2018, SL began referring to itself as the “Militarized Communist Party of Peru,” and its political arm has been involved in protests—including in Peru’s capital, Lima—calling for the release of imprisoned SL members.

OPERATING AREA
Mainly operates in a remote area in eastern Peru, known as the Apurimac; Ene; and Mantaro River Valley, a vast jungle area near the Andes mountains (home to most of Peru’s coca cultivation and production and the second largest such area in the world).

MEMBERS
Approximately 200 fighters

TACTICS AND TARGETS
SL conducts armed assaults, assassinations, extortion operations, and hostage-takings. The group mostly attacks Peruvian Government and military targets and civilians. SL equips its members with small arms, machineguns, mines, and IEDs.

FOREIGN TERRORIST GROUP DESIGNATION
The US State Department designated SL as a foreign terrorist organization in October 1997.

KEY LEADERS

NOTABLE ATTACKS