SLA releases two detainees from Khiam prison
Lebanon, Politics, 12/13/1997

Israel's proxy militia in south Lebanon Friday released two Lebanese detainees from the Khiam detention center in an Israeli-occupied zone in south Lebanon, security officials said.

Omar Ahmed and Shawki Nasrallah were taken by the International Committee of the Red Cross from the prison to the Hammoud hospital in Sidon. Hospital officials said they were suffering from poor health conditions. The Daily Star reported one on them as saying that they were badly mistreated, and placed in "2.5 square meter cell along with 12 other detainees" without a lavatory, or windows.

It was not immediately clear how long the two had been detained or why they were released. But militiamen of the South Lebanon Army often release prisoners ahead of the holidays, calling it a "gesture of good will."

Meanwhile, the Hizbullah guerrilla group announced that one of its fighters, Mahmoud Bourji, was killed in a clash in south Lebanon with Israeli troops Friday. Hizbullah said its fighters had attacked the Israeli Sujud outpost inside the occupied zone, scoring "direct hits."

Earlier in the day, the occupation forces shelled with heavy artillery the woods of Sujud and al-Reihan and the hills of the al-Tuffah district.

For the second straight day, the occupation forces have blocked the crossings of al-Hamra and Beit Yahoun. Lahd's militia forces on Friday morning carried out a vast mopping-up campaign with heavy machine guns in several areas adjacent to the occupied part of the western Bekaa. Lebanese sources said the campaign centered on the Jabal al-Dahr hills and al-Dabghi woods.

Meanwhile, fishermen in Tyre said an Israeli boat intervened with Lebanese fishing boats and prevented them from proceeding with their work.

On Thursday, a five-nation monitoring group blamed Israel for explosions that killed three Lebanese civilians last week in south Lebanon. After a three-day session during which representatives in the committee were discussing two complaints lodged by the Lebanese government against Israel, the committee issued a statement saying the group "expressed its regret" at the casualties."

"The group considered that Israel and those cooperating with it are responsible for the manner in which their explosive devices are utilized," the statement said. Another Lebanese complaint over the expulsion by SLA forces of a Lebanese-American along with his family from his home in the occupied zone, was rejected by the committee, which does not cover expulsions from the zone. The statement said the matter would be left for discussion "through diplomatic channels... with a view to reaching a satisfactory solution."

Previous Stories:
  New Israeli violation of April Understanding   (12/12/1997)
  Hizbullah fighter reported killed in south Lebanon   (12/12/1997)
  Khiam torture more frequent   (10/1/1997)

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