Lebanese Troops Fight Commandos

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31982, 8 May 1969, Page 15

Lebanese Troops Fight Commandos

(N .Z.P, A.-Reuter—-Copyright)

BEIRUT, May 7.

Lebanese troops fought with Syrian-based Arab commandos late into the night in the latest of several flare-ups close to the Israeli frontier between the Army and guerrilla groups.

An Army spokesman in Beirut said late last night that at least one soldier and two commandos had been killed so far in the fighting in the Hasbaya area and added that the two sides were still locked in battle. Three other soldiers and three commandos also were Wounded in the clash. Fighting broke out when commandos of the Sa’lqa guerrilla organisation supported by the Syrian Ba’athist regime—-fired at a Lebanese guardhouse in Hasbaya town and mortared an Army post seven miles from the border with Israel, the spokesman said. Up to 2000 commandos are said to have infiltrated from across the Syrian border into the Hasbaya area—scene in the last week of several clashes between the Army and the commandos. The incidents follow violent clashes last month between Lebanese security forces and supporters backing Arab commando action against Israel. A total of 15 people were killed in those clashes, which also resulted in the resignation of Mr Rashid Karami’s Government. Two days ago the Lebanese Army said that it might have to take deterrent military action to protect its men after commandos ambushed a vehicle and killed a soldier with a hail of machine-gun bullets., Earlier the same day Sa’lqa commandos held two soldiers

hostage for some hours, free- i ing them only after an Army ; warning. ; President Charles Helou j last night told the nation in , a broadcast that Lebanon backed the Palestinian Arab ;

campaign but added: “We give our support for the just struggle of the Palestinian people within our sovereignty . . . and within a plan agreed on beforehand between us and our brothers."