LEBANON: PALESTINE LIBERATION LEADER YASSER ARAFAT SPEAKS ON THE LATEST OUTBREAKS OF VIOLENCE IN BEIRUT.

Record ID: 860963

  • Title: LEBANON: PALESTINE LIBERATION LEADER YASSER ARAFAT SPEAKS ON THE LATEST OUTBREAKS OF VIOLENCE IN BEIRUT.
  • Date: 21st August 1981
  • Summary: CU ZOOM OUT PLO leader Yasser Arafat seated at table SV Members of press SV Arafat speaking (1.39) BB
  • Embargoed: 5th September 1981 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BEIRUT, LEBANON
  • City:
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Topics: General,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA5QWQXBAYCB6NP8E4YQTWU6W1F
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: INTRODUCTION : Fresh fighting has broken out in the Lebanon capital of Beirut between Christians and Moslems in the last week. According to Reuter reports, both sides swopped heavy machine gun fire on Thursday (20 August) and friday (21 August). These latest outbreaks of violence prompted Yasser Arafat, leader of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), into holding another press conference to describe the situation.

    SYNOPSIS: The PLO leader has had a busy time with the world's press since Lebanon developed into the flashpoint centre of the turbulent Middle East. This time, he appeared before the cameras to tell how the local Moslems and Palestinians in Beirut had suffered in the latest clashes.

    Mr. Arafat was referring to a non-stop barrage of shell fire over the two days. He estimated that Christian Falangist forces had fired 26 shells for every one of the city's population. And many of the shells came from the heavy 175-millimetre cannon, which the Christians have access to. Reports coming out of the war-torn city indicate a number of casualties on both sides.

    A bulletin issued by the Lebanon security forces said at least 10 people were injured when a shell landed in a residential area of predominently Moslem West Beirut, backing the claims of Mr. Arafat as he spoke to the world once more.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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