Fuerzas Especiales del Alto Mando
The Fuerzas Especiales del Alto Mando (Special Forces High Command), also known as Fuerza De Tarea Murcielago (Task Force Murciélago) is the principal Mexican Army Tier 1 Special Mission Unit 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, 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.
| Special Forces High Command | |
|---|---|
| Fuerza Especial de Reacción | |
 Beret Insignia | |
| Country |  |
| Allegiance | |
| Branch | Mexican army |
| Type | Special Mission Unit |
| Role | Primary tasks:
|
| Size | 150 Operators |
| Engagements | Capture of Osiel Cárdenas Guillén |
It received its current name after a change from its former name, Grupo Aeromóvil de Fuerzas Especiales del Alto Mando.
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.
A known mission carried out by the RSF 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.