LEBANON: TENSION IS HIGH IN BEIRUT FOLLOWING MORE FIGHTING WHILE LOCAL MILITIA COMMANDER VISITS ORPHANS HOME.

Record ID: 375818

  • Title: LEBANON: TENSION IS HIGH IN BEIRUT FOLLOWING MORE FIGHTING WHILE LOCAL MILITIA COMMANDER VISITS ORPHANS HOME.
  • Date: 19th August 1979
  • Summary: 1. GV: Damaged streets. 0.05 2. LV, CU: Old man walking through rubble and past damaged shops. (2 shots) 0.21 3. LV: Soldier beside tank in street. 0.24 4. LV, CU: Soldiers patrolling streets and resting on mattresses. (4 shots) 0.50 5. SV/CU: Orphans singing as guitarist plays (2 shots) 1.14 6. SV/CU: Bashir Gemayel (centre) watch
  • Embargoed: 3rd September 1979 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BEIRUT, LEBANON
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Reuters ID: LVAEOXEWM2O2TGJT1Q3EVXG4XOAH
  • Story Text: A radical Palestinian Commando Group has claimed responsibility for an attack on the Israeli coast early on Saturday (18 August). The pro-Iraqi Palestine Liberation Front said it's commandos inflicted rocket damage on several Israeli naval vessels and clashed with troops on a northern stretch of the Israeli coast. However, the claims coincided with a statement from Israeli that it's gunboats sank a rubber dinghy carrying Arab guerrillas on Friday night (17 August). The statement said three guerrillas had been captured while the fourth was thought to have drowned.

    SYNOPSIS: The latest claims and counter claims came amid reports of new fighting in southern Lebanon. On Friday (17 August) the Palestine News Agency said Israeli gunners and right-wing Lebanese militiamen shelled the villages of Ayshiyeh and Rihan, while in Beirut itself sniper fire and explosions kept tension high in the city centre.

    The centre of Beirut has been the traditional zone of fighting between the militia and Arab peacekeeping forces. The latest clashes led to the blocking of a road linking the Christian eastern districts tot he predominantly Moslem half of the capital. Reinforced units of the Lebanese army also tried unsuccessfully to regain control of Beirut Harbour from the militiamen.

    As the fighting continued in Beirut these children were on a summer camp in the Christian district of Ain Rummaneh. They're orphans, casualties of earlier battles. Their parents were killed fighting for the rightist militia during the 1975-76 war.

    During this camp the children were visited by militia commander Bashir Gemayel and other militia officers.

    For this day at least, the music and presents from the officers took the children away from the realities of their strife torn country.
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