| Special Reaction Force | |
|---|---|
| Fuerza Especial de Reacción | |
) Beret Insignia | |
| Country |  Mexico |
| Allegiance | Mexico |
| Branch | Mexican army |
| Type | Special operations force |
| Role | Primary tasks:
|
| Size | 150 Operators |
| Engagements | Capture of Osiel Cárdenas Guillén |
The Fuerza Especial de Reacción (Special Reaction Force), previously known as GAFES del Alto Mando or Fuerza Especial del Alto Mando (High Command Special Force) is the principal Mexican Army Tier 1 Special operations force for counter-terrorist operations. It's a group with no more than 150 operators, most of their operators come from the Mexican Army Special Forces Corps.[1] After the selection process are specially trained in counter-terrorist tactics, direct action, advance force operations and personal security detail operations. The unit's principal mission is carry out the most delicate national security operations ordered directly by the President and the Secretary of National Defense.
Known Operations
One of the few times its operators were seen in public was hours after the successful capture of Osiel Cárdenas Guillén in 2003, one of the most wanted drug cartel leaders in Mexico and the United States, as they arrived in Mexico City. The Fuerza Especial de Reacción (Special Reaction Force) is the only Tier 1 unit in Latin America, and the only one who is able to do AFO's (Advance Force Operations) like the US JSOC Units and other coalition SOF.
This was the unit in charge of hunting down almost all of the entire first generation of "Los Zetas”, (which were GAFE that deflected from the Mexican army to become security for the Gulf Cartel) since they knew how they operated and how to counter them, it is mentioned that they located and then gunned down the first leader and co-founder of Los Zetas, Arturo Guzman Decena in the border city of Matamoros.
Another known mission carried out by the FER was the capture of drug cartel leader Javier Torres Félix aka El JT in Culiacan, Sinaloa, January 27 of 2004. The commandos left Mexico City for Culiacan at 9:00 a.m. and returned with Félix at 6:00 p.m. that same day. Commanders had scheduled the arrest for another day but the Secretary told reporters that immediate capture was necessary. One of Félix's hitmen had killed a soldier from the Third military region while the soldier was on patrol at the outskirts of the town of El Tule.