However, guerrilla leader rose and was cut to pieces (9)
I believe the answer is:
butchered
'cut to pieces' is the definition.
The answer and definition are not the same part of speech. However, adjectives and past participle verbs can sometimes mean the same thing.
'however guerrilla leader rose' is the wordplay.
'however' becomes 'but' (I've seen this in another clue).
'guerrilla leader' becomes 'che' (guerrilla revolutionary Che Guevara).
'rose' becomes 'red' (shade of red).
'but'+'che'+'red'='BUTCHERED'
'and was' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for butchered that I've seen before include "may be killed" , "Killed brutally" , "slaughtered" , "Massacred" .)