1.
TV EXTERIOR Beirut ZOOM INTO Smoke rising from city buildings (5 shots)
0.51

2.
GV Thick black smoke pouring from building
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3.
SV Man clinging onto back of ambulance, with siren blaring, racing through streets
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SV Ambulance slowing down and coffin being carried along street with sound of gunfire as military salute (2 shots)
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CU INTERIOR Christian leader, Camille Chamoun speaking in English over shots of damaged buildings, rubble, dead bodies and wounded in hospital (11 shots)
2.50


CHAMOUN: "It was attacked two days ago in the evening, and shelled seriously, in such a way that at this time that all the centre disappeared under a cloud of dust and smoke. The battle lasted from the afternoon until the next day in the morning, but we had give to Hadath our military support, and we gave it. But we saw the shelling was very happy, it was Hadath itself, where they were shelled with bombs, mortar bombs of (indistinct) 60 millimetre. Naturally we have reacted, and our people have reacted very courageously and to the point. We have had about 250 people killed among the civilian population, but only four among the fighters, the young men who have been fighting this battle. But the Syrians have lost almost 200, 400 killed, not including the wounded among their troops."



President Elias Sarkis announced on Monday (2 October) that he intended to form a new cabinet of political leaders in an attempt to prevent further deterioration of the situation. He said a new security plan would be implemented to halt the fighting between the Syrian troops and the Christian militias. President Sarkis described the country as being on the verge of collapse. His statement followed a further comment from Mr. Chamoun, who said the militias would continue to fight until every Syrian soldier was driven out of Lebanon.




Initials BB/0135


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Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: In Lebanon, sporadic gunfire continued in the capital Beirut after two days of fierce fighting. It was the worst outbreak of violence since the Lebanese civil was ended almost two years ago. At least 250 people were killed during the intensive shelling of East Beirut by Syrian troops of the Arab Peace Keeping Force, who were attempting to drive out right-wing Christian militias.

SYNOPSIS: The Arab Peace Keeping Force entered Lebanon to enforce the ceasefire at the end of the 19-month civil war. Since then relations between the predominantly Syrian troops, and the right wing Christian militias in Beirut have deteriorated and clashes have been frequent. The latest, fragile ceasefire was shattered on Sunday (1 October). During seven hours of fighting, almost 13 thousand shells blasted Christian East Beirut. Suburbs and outlying villages, which have not been attacked before came under fire, and several shells landed in Moslem West Beirut during the height of the bombardment. Both sides accuse each other of starting the fighting, and each maintains that the other is attempting to gain control of the entire country.

Right-wing sources claim violence erupted after militiamen laid siege to Syrian troops trapped in a building. A militia spokesman said the Syrians had taken part in a raid during which a rightist leader had been killed. Damascus newspaper, presenting the Syrian attitude to the fighting, blamed the renewed conflict on the recent Camp David peace agreement between Egypt and Israel. Despite such facilities, the militiamen are determined to fight on. Camille Chamoun, leader of the right-wing National Liberal Party (NLP) described the beginning of the battle.