LF COMPLETES WITHDRAWAL FROM SIDON, AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIRUT 02434 E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR TAGS: PGOV PREL LE SUBJECT: LF COMPLETES WITHDRAWAL FROM SIDON, AND ISRAELIS LEAVE THE WEST BIQA' REFERENCE: BEIRUT 2408 1.(U) LOCAL PRESS REPORTS THE COMPLETION ON APRIL 24 OF THE WITHDRAWAL OF 450 LF MILITIAMEN FROM THE SIDON AREA TO EAST BEIRUT. HOWEVER, THESE REPORTS CONTINUE, LAF UNITS HAVE STILL NOT OCCUPIED THE FORMER LF POSITIONS EAST OF THE CITY, AND SPORADIC EXCHANGES OF FIRE CONTINUE TO MAR THE CEASE-FIRE. LF MILITIAMEN NATIVE TO THE AREA ARE SAID TO REMAIN ARMED AND IN UNIFORM. SCATTERED FIGHTING WAS REPORTED ON BOTH MAIN AXES OF CONFRONTATION WITH LF FIGHTERS IN QAYAA EXCHANGING FIRE WITH THE LAF, AND PALESTINIANS FROM THE MIYAH MIYAH CAMP FIRING MORTAR ROUNDS INTO THE VILLAGE OF MIYAH MIYAH. LF OFFICIALS DENY THAT THE CHRISTIANS RETURNED FIRE, BUT THE PALESTINIANS CLAIM NINE WERE WOUNDED BY CHRISTIAN FIRE. THE CITY REMAINS TENSE. 2.(U) PRESS REPORTS ALSO DESCRIBE THE APRIL 24 ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL FROM THE WESTERN BIQA', JABAL BARUK, AND JAZZIN. THE NEW ISRAELI FRONT LINE THUS STRETCHES FROM THE COAST EAST ALONG THE LITANI RIVER, THEN NORTHEASTERLY TO KFAR HUNA, AND EAST AGAIN TO MT. HERMON. ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE REPORTEDLY DISMANTLED THEIR POSITIONS IN AND AROUND TYRE, THE ISRAELIS HAVE NOT YET LEFT THE CITY. AS THEY LEFT THE WESTERN BIQA', THEY DROPPED LEAFLETS WARNING THE LOCAL INHABITANTS AGAINST COOPERATING WITH THE SHIA RESISTANCE FIGHTERS: "WE MUST REMIND YOU THAT THE ISRAELI FORCES WILL NOT HESITATE TO DEAL FIRMLY AND WITHOUT MERCY WITH THOSE WHO COOPERATE WITH TERRORISM." 3.(U) OF THE NEWLY EVACUATED AREAS, ONLY THE WEST BIQA' HAS BEEN OCCUPIED BY THE LAF, ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS. THERE, UNITS OF THE SHIA FIRST BRIGADE WERE WARMLY GREETED BY AREA RESIDENTS. PSP FORCES, HOWEVER, OCCUPIED THE STRATEGIC HILL OF JABAL BARUK, ALTHOUGH THE ISRAELIS HAD DISMANTLED THEIR INSTALLATIONS BEFORE DEPARTING. THE SITUATION IN JAZZIN, REPORTED REFTEL, REMAINS UNCLEAR. 4.(C) COMMENT. EMBASSY CONTACTS HAVE LONG INDICATED THAT PSP LEADER WALID JUMBLATT INTENDED TO OCCUPY JABAL BARUK ONCE THE ISRAELIS LEFT. IT IS UNLIKELY HE WILL BE CONVINCED TO YIELD THIS STRATEGIC POSITION TO AN LAF FORCE HE DOES NOT CONTROL. END COMMENT. BARTHOLOMEW