LEBANON: LEFTIST ATTACK ON FALANGISTS IN BEIRUT 'HOLIDAY INN' HOTEL FAILS.

Record ID: 355212

  • Title: LEBANON: LEFTIST ATTACK ON FALANGISTS IN BEIRUT 'HOLIDAY INN' HOTEL FAILS.
  • Date: 2nd November 1975
  • Summary: 1. GV PAN Buildings in Beirut 0.06 2. GV Gun position ZOOM IN TO Buildings 0.13 3. GV Wounded being removed (2 shots) 0.32 4. SV Army jeep with machine gunner moving into position and firing at hotel (3 shots) 0.48 5. GV & CU Burning building (3 shots) 1.10 6. GV People running for cover 1.14 7. GV ZOOM IN Leftists including
  • Embargoed: 17th November 1975 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BEIRUT, LEBANON
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Reuters ID: LVA44468J8A9AYJIB4A061XLNE4K
  • Story Text: A major attack by left wingers on Falangists entrenched in Beirut's Holiday Inn hotel failed on Saturday night (1 November). The Falangists poured automatic weapon, mortar and rocket fire on the attackers, forcing them to withdraw.

    As the leftist Moslem and Palestinian forces made their advance downhill towards the seafront hotel, the Falangists fortified their stronghold with sandbags at the main entrance and many widows facing uphill towards the Kantari district.

    The hotel, a favourite spot for businessmen and tourists, has been hit by many rockets which have broken nearly all the windows facing south and left charred holes in the side of the building.

    The leftist attack on the hotel on Saturday night ruined Lebanon's twelfth ceasefire agreement in two months.

    Police sources said that at least 40 people died in Saturday's fighting, bringing the known death toll for the past two months to way over the one thousand mark.

    The attack on the Holiday Inn together with reports by local residents that the left winger were infiltrating the narrow streets to the east of the hotel, suggested that the leftists might be trying to encircle the Falangists in this area.

    The districts to the south and west are already in leftwing hands. To the north, the area is bounded by the sea.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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