U.N. force on full alert after Lebanon clash

Press, 14 April 1980, Page 8

U.N. force on full alert after Lebanon clash

NZPA-Reuter Beirut All units in the 6000strong United Nations peacekeeping force were on maximum alert in south Lebanon yesterday' after clashes with Rightist militiamen in which two people died and three were wounded.

In the latest incident, a barrage of tank and artillery shells and rocket-propelled grenades hit the buildings of the United Nations headquarters in the coastal town of Nakoura on the Israeli border on Saturday. There were no reports of casualites, but a United Nations spokesman said two helicopters had been completely destroyed in the attack, and others damaged.

Whether the firing came from militiamen or from Israeli batteries was not clear; but the bombardment appeared to be in retaliation to clashes near the village of Al-Tiri earlier in the day. Israeli radio said two Lebanese civilians had been

killed, and one wounded, (when an Irish battalion of United Nations troops opened fire on a peaceful demonstration against them and in favour of the militiamen.

In the open battle, according to United Nations sources, a Fijian United Nations soldier and one militiaman were killed.

Al-Tiri became the focus of a serious confrontation between the United Nations forces and the militiamen last week when the militia tried to set up positions in the Irish sector, saving the villagers had invited them in.

The sources said the militiamen had eventually left Al-Tiri after the United Nations destroyed a halftrack vehicle which had been posted at the entrance to the village. Units of Dutch, Fijian, and [Senegalese United Nations I troops were dispatched on [Saturday to the tense area 'around the village.