The Israel Defense Force today released 249 Shiite Moslem prisoners Force today released 249 Shiite Moslem prisoners who returned to their home villages in south Lebanon. The prisoners were originally detained on suspicion of carrying out or planning attacks on IDF units in Lebanon and were held in the Ansar camp in south Lebanon.
The camp was shut down two months ago as Israeli forces completed the second stage of their withdrawal. Most of the detainees were released at the time but others, including the men freed today, were transferred to a prison camp in Israel.
Military sources said they were being allowed to return home to re-enforce the Shiite militia, Amal, in its efforts to prevent Palestine Liberation Organization terrorists from re-infiltrating south Lebanon where they would pose a threat to the security belt along the Israel border.
Amal reportedly has been effectively halting the movement of PLO men to the south to ensure their control of the region. The Shiites are also engaged in a bloody battle with Palestinians in the refugee camps in Beirut.
But the IDF continued to take harsh measures against Shiites suspected of collaborating with terrorist groups in south Lebanon. Today it destroyed four houses in the Shiite village of Tir Harpa inside the security zone, just north of the Kibbutz Hanita in Israel. It destroyed three houses in a neighboring village yesterday. Military sources said the houses were owned by collaborators.
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