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American citizens told to leave Lebanon

NZPA-Reuter Beirut s ; The United States has 'advised American citizens . who do not have business in ’ Lebanon to leave the coun- ' try as quickly as possible. ( A United States spokes- , man said in a statement that ( the Embassy staff was being ' reduced and their dependents '(sent out of the country. , The statement gave no (reason for the sudden (moves, but it followed •.almost a month of heavy •i fighting between Syrian troops and Right-wing Lebanese militias in Christian' (residential districts of Bei-I '(rut. Relative calm returned to: the battle zones of east Bei-! rut as Lebanese security forces moved cautiously into areas devastated by fighting. Security sources said

t(small groups of armed gem (darmes had begun taking up! s! positions in the south-east-! siern suburb of Hadath and' lithe central commercial dis-: -Itrict without incident. • Scores of civilians had ■(been reported killed during : I five consecutive nights of ;( heavy' shelling, in Hadath, a s | Christian residential district on a hillside near the Presi- > dential palace. i The English-language daily ( I “Ike,” reported that the security forces planned to i deploy along other con-J frontation lines in the divided city in accordance: (with an agreement worked] (out on Wednesday' by the!' (warring parties. ' (i The newspaper quoted in-! ( formed sources as saying; gendarmes would replace] militiamen controlling ap- (I proach. to the port, to fac-il

I ilitate a resumption Of (shipping activities. ! The port has been closed II since fierce fighting flared, :up in the area on July 1,( and importers have had to arrange collection of their goods from neighbouring Arab countries and Europe. In spite of the entry of the security forces, there was no indication that the Syrian peace-keeping troops (or the militias were aban-l d .ning their strongholds in! (the mainly Christian east! (side of the city. I Witnesses reported gen-! jd .rmes nervously occupying (one sandbagged position! (near the biggest Christian! (district of Ashrafiyeh under' (the watchful eyes of] ( heavily-armed Rightist mi-1 llitiamen.

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19780729.2.66.8

Bibliographic details

Press, 29 July 1978, Page 8

Word Count
333

American citizens told to leave Lebanon Press, 29 July 1978, Page 8

American citizens told to leave Lebanon Press, 29 July 1978, Page 8