RENEWED CLASHES IN TRIPOLI

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIRUT 04218

E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PGOV PREL LE
SUBJECT: RENEWED CLASHES IN TRIPOLI

1.(U) BEIRUT PRESS REPORTS CONTINUING CLASHES BETWEEN
SUNNI FUNDAMENTALIST "ISLAMIC MEETING" FORCES AND
PRO-SYRIAN ARAB DEMOCRATIC (ADP) PARTY MILITIAMEN IN
TRIPOLI. ACCORDING TO THESE ACCOUNTS, DURING THE JULY
15 FIGHTING ELEMENTS OF THE LAF SECOND BRIGADE (CHARGED
WITH IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TRIPOLI SECURITY PLAN) FOUGHT
SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH THE SUNNI FUNDAMENTALISTS AGAINST THE
ADP. IF THESE REPORTS ARE CORRECT, THE LAF MAY HAVE
COMPROMISED ITS ABILITY TO PLAY ITS ASSIGNED ROLE AS
IMPARTIAL ARBITER IN THE CONTINUING DISPUTES.

2.(U) ACCORDING TO THESE ACCOUNTS, SYRIAN EFFORTS TO
CONTAIN THIS MOST RECENT OUTBREAK ARE TAKING TWO FORMS.
ADP AND TAWHID LEADERS HAVE REPORTEDLY BEEN SUMMONED BY
SYRIAN VP KHADDAM TO DAMASCUS FOR TALKS TO TAKE PLACE
THE WEEK OF JULY 22. SYRIAN MILITARY OBSERVERS ARE ALSO
EXPECTED IN TRIPOLI ITSELF TO SUPERVISE THE CURRENT
CEASE-FIRE.

3.(C) COMMENT. THE SYRIANS HAVE CONSISTENTLY USED THE
ADP TO EXERT PRESSURE ON THE SUNNI FUNDAMENTALISTS, MOST
OF WHOM ARE ARAFAT SUPPORTERS, AND MANY OF WHOM ARE
FORMER FATAH MEMBERS WHO JOINED TAWHID WHEN ARAFAT WAS
FORCED OUT OF TRIPOLI. THE SYRIANS ARE APPARENTLY
CONTENT AT THIS POINT TO LET THE CONFLICT SIMMER WHILE
WORKING TO AVOID AN OUTBREAK OF VIOLENCE WHICH THEY
COULD NOT CONTROL. END COMMENT.

BARTHOLOMEW