South Lebanese Army bombards villages in south Lebanon
Lebanon, Military, 8/1/1997

The South Lebanese Army on July 31 bombarded the villages of Joun and Bisri as Lebanese army units cleared the last landmines from the nearby road between Ain El Meer and Kfar Falous in preparation for the reopening of the gate to Jezzine.

Although the government hopes to open the Kfar Falous crossing today to allow access between Sidon and the occupied town of Jezzine, there is no indication that the SLA has begun clearing its section of the road between Kfar Falous and Sfarai. SLA artillery stationed in Rim and Saidoun shelled the outskirts of Joun and Bisri, 20 km east of Jezzine, at around 8.30 a.m., security sources said. The militia's heavy machine guns in Roum Anan, in the Jezzine pocket, combed hills surrounding their outposts, they added.

The road leading to the crossing was quiet, but Lebanese army units in the area were placed on full alert to put into effect the cabinet's decision to reopen the gate, the sources said.

They added that the crossing will be opened as scheduled today, but Lebanese soldiers will only man the eastern side. Witnesses said the road at Ain El Meer, east of the crossing, seemed ready for traffic after soldiers finished removing land mines and earth mounds. However, land mines are still planted in the fields on either side of the road to block possible infiltration by SLA militiamen, the security sources said. These will be removed once orders are given to open the crossing.

Meanwhile Jezzine notables, in a meeting attended by a European Union representative called on the cabinet to implement its decision to reopen the crossing. "The issue of Jezzine is a national issue because the exemplary common living between the area's religious communities which have lived in harmony since the eruption of war 22 years ago, is in jeopardy," a statement issued by the group, dubbed the St. Roukoz meeting for Jezzine said.

"Jezzine, which rejects being subjected to accusations and rejects any partial solutions, calls on the cabinet to implement its decision to open the Kfar Falous crossing despite any obstacles," the statement added. "The town also calls on the cabinet to give more attention to its needs and reiterates its call for the Lebanese army to take charge of security in the whole area." The Lebanese complaint concerned Israeli shelling at the weekend of a residential section of the village of Habboush near Nabatieh which damaged several homes.

The Israeli complaints concern shelling by Hizbullah fighters which wounded a 50 year old woman in Rihan in the center of the Zone. The other Israeli complaints concerned Katyusha rocket attacks on the Kawkaba area of the zone and against an SLA position in the north of the zone.

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