Lebanon violence rages unabated

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33944, 10 September 1975, Page 17

Lebanon violence rages unabated

(N.Z.P.A -Reuter—Copyright) BEIRUT, September 9. ~ Dozens of gunmen took up positions in olive groves and fields around the northern city of Tripoli early today as factional violence in which at least 60 people have died in the last week raged unabated. The Moslem gunmen were guarding against possible attack by townsmen from mainly Christian Zghorta, in the mountains five miles east of Tripoli.

Meanwhile, Moslem and Christian factions within Tripoli blazed away at each other with machine - guns, mortars and rockets in a continuing battle that threatens to plunge the whole country in violence.

Lebanon’s six-man Cabinet met in emergency session yesterday and is preparing for another meeting today' to discuss ways of ending the fighting, which flared in Beirut earlier this year, leaving 3000 dead. The Interior Minister (Mr Camille Chamoun) was reported to be urging the use of Lebanon’s 14,000-man Army to control the situation, but the Prime Minister (Mr Karami) was said to have grave fears that this might exacerbate it. Civil war feared In the major fighting in Lebanon earlier this year the Government kept the Army out for fear of provoking outright civil war. This is because the Army has been regarded by the mainly Moslem Left-wingers as the defender of the Rightwing Christians. Ari influential Socialist leader, Mr Kamal Junblatt, has spoken about the dangers of Army intervention. Last night rifle anl mach-ine-gun fire could be heard in and around Tripoli. Most of the town, a Moslem stronghold with a population of about 100,000, is without water and electricity. There has been widespread bombing and looting of shops. Shops looted Mr Karami said that the Government decided at its emergency Cabinet meeting yesterday to take certain measures which he hoped would help the Government “impose its existence.” No details of the measures were disclosed. Security forces in Tripoli,

Lebanon’s second largest city, said that 65 shops had been looted or bombed there in the latest fighting. One of two houses set ablaze belonged to a former Minister, Mr Tony Franjieh, son of President Franjieh. Tripoli and Zghorta are the hometowns respectively of Mr Karami and President Franjieh. So far, the vendetta-style

fighting in Tripoli has not caused major trouble elsewhere in the country, although several bodies both of Moslems and Christians —- have been found near Beirut and in fields near the main road to Damascus.

There are major fears, however, that the new flareup in Tripoli could spread to other parts of the country.