Battle of Zahleh

Since the beginning of the Civil War, the city of Zahle's key strategic location served as a key artery for the armed factions involved in the conflict, particularly for the Syrian Armed Forces who occupied the adjacent Bekaa Valley from May 1976.[13] Throughout history, the city of Zahleh served as a trade hub for commerce; located between Damascus on the East side, including the fertile Bekaa valley that borders Syria, and Beirut City on the opposite west side. Although Zahlawi's readily took advantage of their location for trade and commerce, their geo-strategic location was a deterrent on the socio-political level between 1980 and 1981. From the west side, the city lies at the base of the 8,622 feet high Mount Sannine (Arabic: جبل صنين). The peak of Mount Sannine, not only overlooked the entire Bekaa Valley, but the Israeli-occupied Golan heights and even further. With that said, the Syrian's securing at least the base of Mount Sannine prevented any potential Israeli or LF attempts to scrutinize the occupied Golan Heights and further deep into Syrian territories.

Strategically, the prime concern of the Syrians was to curb the Christian-controlled city's geo-strategic attributes. Consequently, the Syrian Army blocked the main roads leading in and out of the city. The Syrian forces, however, remained stationed outside the city, in particular, along the outskirts. The Syrian Army's Chief-of-staff at the time, General Hikmat Chehabi (Arabic: حكمت شهابي) expressed concerns over a free and uncontrolled Zahleh falling into the hands of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). The Israelis were providing military aid to the LF, whose presence was apparent inside Zahleh. Chehabi's concern was, that the LF might hand over the base of mount Sannine to the Israelis, given the mount peek outlooks the Golan heights and deep inside Syrian territories. To that end, Chehabi foresaw a problematic scenario on more than one level. One, if the Israeli Defense Forces cut through Zahle city and position their troops along its outskirts, they would be stationed only four miles West of the Syrian fifth division stationed in the town of Chtaura (Arabic: شتورة), located by the Beirut-Damascus highway.[14] Two, such a scenario, if actualized, would not only threaten Syrian military presence in the Valley, but even the Syrian capital itself – the Israelis would be 8.6 miles West of the Syrian border and 31 miles from the Syrian capital, Damascus. For that reason, the Syrian 85th and 78th brigades along with the 7th division regrouped across the valley.[15] In addition, Chehabi provided logistical support to the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) al-Yarmouk, al-Kostol and Ain Jallout conventional mechanized brigades positioned between the Litani River (Arabic: نهر الليطاني) and the Zahrani River (Arabic:نهر الزهراني).[15]

The Lebanese Civil War began in April 1975, pitting the Christian-rightist militias of the Lebanese Front against the Muslim-leftist militias of the Lebanese National Movement (LNM) and their Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) guerrilla factions' allies. This early phase lasted two years until the Syrian Army invaded Lebanon under the pretext of "stopping the war and protecting the Christians". However, it was later revealed that the Syrian Army had entered Lebanese territory at the beginning of the war under the cover of the Palestine Liberation Army (PLA) in order to put the resisting Christians in a vulnerable position in the war so that they would demand a Syrian intervention for their protection. The Christians, who were represented in the war mainly by the Phalangists, demanded in 1978 the withdrawal of all Syrian military forces from the country because they had turned into occupiers and their intentions became clear. In addition, Syria switched sides and stood with the PLO after the Camp David Accords in order the lead the Arabs in the conflict against Israel. As a result, tensions began to mount between the Christian militias and the Syrian Army, which led to the Hundred Days War that resulted in the expulsion of the Syrian Army from East Beirut and most of Mount Lebanon. These areas were called the "Free Areas".

Prior to the December setbacks, the Moukhabarat (Arabic: المخابرات السورية), the Syrian Intelligence Service, assassinated several members of the predominantly Christian Kataeb and Ahrar parties in order to turn one against the other, but the local leaders of these parties were aware of the Syrian plans. Congregating surreptitiously in and around Zahle, the Moukhabarat then facilitated the entry into the town of a small dissident Christian militia commanded by Elias El-Hannouche (nicknamed "Hannache"), the Free Tigers (also known as the "Hannache Group").[16] Tensions between the local right-wing LF militiamen and the newcomers soon began to mount.[16] The catalyst to the initial setbacks ensued when Hannache and its Free Tigers attempted to seize control of the offices of the National Liberal Party (NLP) in Zahle.[17] On December 22, 1980, clashes broke out between local LF members and the Hannache's Free Tigers, which resulted ultimately in the expulsion of the latter from Zahle.[17] After previous failed attempts, the Syrians tried to enter the city, but the LF responded swiftly and during the confrontation a total of five Syrian soldiers were killed.[18] As a result, the Syrian Forces shelled the overpopulated city for six consecutive hours, to pressure the Zahlawis to hand over the militiamen responsible for the killings.[14] To further increase the psychological pressure on the town's inhabitants and its LF garrison, the Syrian checkpoints dispersed around the outskirts of the city blocked the flow of foodstuffs and other supplies going in and out from Zahle, and Syrian MIGs flew over the city for a long period of time.[14] On the international level, the disproportionate Syrian reaction triggered widespread international criticism. France for example, described the shelling as a barbaric act; Washington described the shelling as a deplorable Syrian act.[14] Consequently, the shelling stopped due to the international pressure; the turmoil cooled off between January and March due to heavy snow storms the city endured during the winter of 1980–81.[19] The two sides, however, remained alert while preparing for the upcoming conclusive battle.

The dire socio-political situation of Zahle alarmed the LF High Command in Beirut. A weighty LF presence, however, was scarce in and around the turmoiled city. In addition to the impeding Syrian siege, the initial setbacks coincided with a harsh snowy winter. The siege and the rugged snowy mountains encumbered the LF and hindered the ability of trained elite LF fighters to come from Beirut to aid local Zahlawis and local LF. Nonetheless, the LF Commander-in-chief Bashir Gemayel, dispatched his Chief-of-staff Dr. Fouad Abou Nader to assess the dire situation in Zahleh. Reaching the city was problematic for Abou Nader on two levels: in addition to the cold winter and the heavy snow descending on the highest city of Lebanon, the Syrians controlled most of the main roads leading in and out of the city. To reach the city safely without being compromised by the Syrians, Abou Nader had to take foot trails and walk down the mountain in the snow, cutting down through the el-Berdawni river (Arabic: نهر البردوني). Upon reaching the town, Abou Nader noticed that, although the Syrians blocked the northern access leading in and out the city, the southern access, in particular the Chtaura road, was nevertheless open to circulation.[20] To that end, arms were smuggled into the city, hidden in trucks carrying loads of wheat.[21] A task-force of 120 trained Commandos from the LF Central Units under the dual command of Joe Edde and Kayrouz Baraket (a senior militia commander of the Guardians of the Cedars) was dispatched from Beirut to Zahleh to reinforce and organize the local 1,500 Christian militiamen and the citizens of Zahle, and preparing them for the upcoming battle.[8] They used bulldozers in order to move the snow from the roads and set up a direct telephone line from Zahle to the LF military headquarters in Karantina.[22] The Lebanese Forces began preparations for the siege by setting up a temporary field hospital and formed social assistance groups to oversee the needs of the local population. Plus, landmines were laid down, trenches were dig, and barricades were set up.[23]

On the other hand, the Syrians surrounded Zahle from all sides and they consolidated their positions on previously-controlled hills. This made any movement by the Lebanese Forces in the city open to be seen by the Syrian Forces.[24] The Syrians started kidnapping several Zahliots and tortured them. Tensions between the Zahliots and the Syrians intensified during the last two weeks of March 1981.[25]

After a series of Arab interventions and tries, a solution was finally reached in late June 1981.[51] It was decided that the Syrians would abandon their positions around Zahle, and the Lebanese Forces would be replaced by Lebanese Internal Security Forces. This solution was considered a victory for the Lebanese Forces since they were able to resist the Syrian attack and keep the city free from foreign occupation. After 3 months of destruction, death, blood, and tears, Zahle breathed a sigh of relief. The Zahliots welcomed the Lebanese ISF with rice and roses, and they cried during the departure of the Lebanese Forces. One of the Zahliots said "We don't want to leave the fighters who defended our town with their blood, but we also cannot reject the peace and the arrival of the government forces."[52]

Bachir was afraid that the Syrians would attack Zahle after the Lebanese Forces left, so they kept a small team just in case.[53]

The Lebanese Forces were supposed to surrender the heavy weapons to the Syrians, but they rejected that. Instead, the Syrians produced some equipment that doesn't work so that the press had something to photograph. Of course, nobody believed that these were the only weapons that were used in resisting a 3 months full-scale attack, but they couldn't do anything about it.[54]

During the return to Beirut, the people in all areas threw rice over the fighters in the buses until they reached the huge ceremony that was done on their behalf in Karantina. Bachir decorated them with medals for their tremendous resistance and in his speech he told them "You can now rest because Zahle remained Lebanese and free".[55]

Bachir sent a team to assess the damages and start with the reconstructions since the city and the neighboring towns were completely destroyed.[56]

The Syrians tried to enter the city several times, but the Lebanese ISF stood in their way and that stopped the attacks.[57]

After a month, the team that stayed in Zahle returned to Beirut after things cooled down.[57]

-Public demonstrations were held in Paris, New York, and Ottawa that demanded the withdrawal of the Syrians and the halting of the "massacre" in Zahle.

-The bishops in Zahle played an important role in the war where they stressed on the independence of Zahle and Lebanon, and they held a demonstration near the Presidential Palace in Baabda.

-Hunger strike by the nuns demonstrating near the Presidential Palace.

-Pope John Paul II called for the stop of the Syrian onslaught on Zahle.

-Many governments called for the end of hostilities, including Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United States, in addition to the United Nations.[58]

Hanna El Atik took advantage of the extra month he stayed in Zahle to write a report to Bashir where he studied the pros and cons of the defense strategy used and how it could be improved. He also suggested the formation of a special fighting unit called "Sadem" that would consisted of hand-picked volunteers from the Lebanese Forces. Bashir agreed to the suggestion and they promptly began planning the structure and the goals of this unit.[59]

• Bachir Gemayel
• Kataeb Regulatory Forces
• Lebanese Civil War
• Lebanese Front
• Lebanese Forces
• List of weapons of the Lebanese Civil War
• Syrian Armed Forces
• Waltz with Bashir
• Zahliote Group

• Histoire militaire de l'armée libanaise de 1975 à 1990 (in French)
• Lebanese Forces official website
• Syrian occupation of Lebanon