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