Lebanese factions mass for fight

Press, 24 August 1976, Page 8

Lebanese factions mass for fight

NZPA-Reuter Beirut The rival factions in the 16-month-old Lebanese civil war are preparing for what is expected to be a large-scale battle in the eastern mountains, the “New York Times’’ reports.

Ri g h t-Wing Christian forces were reported to have massed about 4000 men and a number of tanks and armoured cars for an offensive to drive Palestinian and Leftist troops from Mount Sannin and the towns of Ain Tura and Matein about 48 km east of Beirut. A unit of the Palestine Liberation Army has fortified its positions and has helped the Leftists boost their strength at Salima, a crucial village along their supply line. This line runs from the resort town of Bhamdun on the main Bei-rut-Damascus highway to Salima.

Palestinian and Leftist forces in the eastern mountainside are believed to total about 1000 men with about 10 tanks and 10 armoured cars.

Two United States diplomats who arrived in the Rightist-held port of Jounieh at the week-end are due to meet the Lebanese President (Mr Suleiman Franjieh) today (New Zealand time), a Right-wing radio station has reported. Amshit Radio, which supports President Franjieh, said the President would receive the diplomats, Mr Robert Houghton and Mr David Mack, who used to work in

the United States Embassy in Beirut.

They are the first United States officials to visit Rightist territory since the American Ambassador (Mr Francis Meloy) was assassinated on June 16 as he prepared to cross from Leftist West Beirut, where the Embassy is. into Rightist East Beirut. American sources dismissed any idea that the two men were attempting to set up any kind of per-[ manent representation in [ Right-wing Christian areas j