— The Army acknowledged today that it detained two residents of Toulin village in south Lebanon, target of yesterday’s Israeli infantry raid in which houses that allegedly sheltered terrorists were blown up. The detainees, suspected of collaborating with Palestine Liberation Organization terrorists who attacked Israel in the past, were brought to Israel for questioning, the army said.
Another Toulin resident was handed over to the Israelis several months ago by Maj. Saad Haddad’s Christian forces and is currently serving a five year prison sentence for alleged collaboration with the terrorists who attacked Kibbutz Misgav Am last year.
A senior Israeli army officer told reporters today that between 500-600 Lebanese army regulars are now stationed in south Lebanon and the Beirut government has said more will be sent there. Haddad also spoke to reporters today. He said his militia would oppose by force any attempt by Gen. William Callaghan, commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), to deploy the Lebanese troops in or near the Christian enclave.
Haddad claimed he had tacit support in this matter from President Elias Sarkis of Lebanon, members of the Beirut Cabinet and the Lebanese army chief of staff but that they could not support him openly.
Meanwhile, Christian forces in various parts of Lebanon were engaged in heavy battles today with the Syrian-led Arab peacekeeping force, Palestinian terrorists and their leftist supporters. The Christian town of Zahle was under heavy shell fire and battles raged in Beirut with scores reported killed in both places.
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