Syrians tighten siege

Press, 9 April 1981, Page 8

Syrians tighten siege

NZPA-Reuter Beirut Syrian troops appeared to tighten their siege of Rightist militiamen around the eastern town of Zahle yesterday as the latest round of fighting in Lebanon entered its second week. There was heavy rocket and mortar fire in Beirut yesterday along the dividing line established in the 1975-76 civil war between the largely Christian east and mainly Muslim west side of the capital, Beirut. The radio of the Right-

i wing Falangist Party reported continued heavy shell- > ing around Zahle, 50km east ; of Beirut. Newsmen with the Syrian ' forces said they appeared to be strengthening their grip ; on the outskirts of the town. Syrian, French and United : Nations envoys arrived in : Beirut yesterday to discuss ; ways of ending the fighting i between Falangist militia- ' men and troops of the allr Syrian Arab Deterrent Force : sent to Lebanon to help end the civil war. Lebanese * Government

leaders met the Syrian Foreign Minister (Mr AbdelHalim Khaddam) in Beirut, but prospects for a speedy end to the conflict, in which more than 180 people have been killed and 500 wounded, appeared bleak. Syria insists on a Falangist pull-out from Zahle, which commands the road to the north and the main BeirutDamascus highway. The Falangists regard the 30,000-strong Syrian force as an army of occupation and say the Syrians should withdraw from Lebanon.