MONGABAY.COM
Mongabay.com seeks to raise interest in and appreciation of wild lands and wildlife, while examining the impact of emerging trends in climate, technology, economics, and finance on conservation and development (more)
WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
|
|
Lebanon
Index
The Ninth Brigade, established in 1983, was commanded in 1987
by Colonel Sami Rihana, a Greek Orthodox. The majority of his
soldiers were Christians from northern Lebanese cities, such as
Tripoli, although the brigade also contained Sunni and Shia
soldiers and officers. It was headquartered in Al Hazimiyah, and
one of its battalions was deployed in the Beirut port area. The
Ninth Brigade was regarded as being totally loyal to the
government, and it fought successfully against Phalangist forces in
East Beirut in January 1986.
The Tenth Brigade
The Tenth Brigade consisted of 1,800 soldiers, most of whom
were Christians, under the command of Colonel Nassib Eid, and in
1987 it was stationed along the Green Line. Its troops manned the
Beirut-Damascus highway to the Kafr Shima-Ash Shuwayfat front. The
brigade was enlarged in 1984 when some soldiers and officers
defecting from the Fourth Brigade joined it. The Tenth Brigade was
composed of three airborne battalions and an artillery unit. The
army's commando forces under Lieutenant Colonel Yusuf Tahan were
attached to the Tenth Brigade. Tahan was an LF supporter, and
observers doubted his loyalty to the government.
Data as of December 1987
|
|
