- Title: LEBANON: FOOD DISTRIBUTED TO REFUGEE AFTER HEAVY FIGHTING IN BEIRUT.
- Date: 16th July 1978
- Summary: 1. GV Workers sorting food parcels 0.10 2. SV Piles of powder in bags 0.14 3. MCU Woman measuring powder into bag 0.21 4. MV Women sorting blocks into bags (2 shots) 0.37 5. SV Boy wraps material into bag (3 shots) 0.46 6. GV Workers bagging food 1.00 7. MV Food being loaded onto Truck (3 shots) 1.17 Initials BB/1630
- Embargoed: 31st July 1978 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: KIRSWAN, LEBANON
- Country: Lebanon
- Reuters ID: LVA8INYH26JA1BTZCYAV121HENHO
- Story Text: President Elias Sarkis of Lebanon has withdrawn his threat to resign over clashes between Christian troops and Syrian members of the Arab peacekeeping force. The clashes in Eastern Beirut left at least two hundred people dead.
SYNOPSIS: Many lebanese fled Beirut for the safety of surrounding areas, bringing with them the problem of how they were to be fed.
Charitable organisations came to their aid with food donations, the distribution of which began last week. It's said that the continuing ceasefire in Beirut led to President Sarkis deciding not to stand down. It was his threat to resign which led to the end of the outbreak of fighting. Many civilians who could afford to do so left the country.
As well as the fighting between Syrians and Christians, there have been clashes between different factions in the Palestinian ranks. The clashes broke out after 40 men of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were detained for five hours by hard-line Palestinian commandos in Southern Lebanon.
It was reported that the distribution of the first fresh food to reach Eastern Beirut was hazardous, owing to sporadic sniper fire. Support for the Christians has come from Israel, whose leaders said they will not stand by and see Christians' massacred.
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