Lebanese Forces (militia)
The Lebanese Forces was the main Lebanese Christian faction during the Lebanese Civil War. Resembling the Lebanese Front, which was an umbrella organization for different parties, the Lebanese Forces was a militia that integrated fighters originating from the different Christian right-wing paramilitary groups, the largest of which was the Kataeb Party's militia. It was mainly staffed by Maronites and Christians of other denominations loyal to Bachir Gemayel, and fought against the Lebanese National Movement, the Palestine Liberation Organization, and the Syrian Armed Forces among others. The group gained infamy for their perpetration of the 1982 Sabra and Shatila massacre, which primarily targeted Palestinian refugees following Bachir Gemayel's assassination.
Foundation
A meeting was convened by members of the Lebanese Front on 30 August 1976. The success of the Siege of Tal al-Zaatar being due to the combined forces of the Kataeb Regulatory Forces, Tigers Militia, Lebanese Youth Movement, Al-Tanzim, and the Guardians of the Cedars convinced the Lebanese Front leaders, especially Etienne Saqr and Bachir Gemayel, that a unitary militia was needed to further face their enemies. Most importantly the militia leaders were wary of the increased Syrian presence. During this meeting, the Lebanese Forces would be founded with Bachir Gemayel elected as its leader. This new Lebanese Forces militia was meant to centralize the right-wing Christian forces, improve organization, and would allow to later bring end to years of infighting that had been going between the different right-wing militias.History
The LF Under Bachir Gemayel (1976–1982)
Christian East Beirut was ringed by heavily fortified Palestinian camps and as the war progressed a strong organized force was needed. The Lebanese Forces was soon after established on 30 August 1976 with an agreement that the direct military commander would be a Kataeb member and the vice-commander an Ahrar member.Bachir led his troops in the infamous Hundred Days War in Lebanon in 1978, in which the Lebanese Forces successfully resisted the Syrian shelling and attacking of Eastern Beirut for about three months before an Arab-brokered agreement forced the Syrians to end the siege. Syrians took high buildings such as Burj Rizk Achrafieh and Burj El Murr using snipers and heavy weapons against civilians. The soldiers stayed for 90 days. Another major clash took place near the Sodeco area in Achrafieh where the Lebanese Forces fought ferociously and drove the Syrian army out of the Rizk Building. At this time, Israel was the primary backer of the Lebanese Front's militia.
In July 1980, following months of intra-Christian clashes between the Tigers, the militia of Dany Chamoun, and the Phalangists, who by now were under the complete leadership of Bachir Gemayel, the Phalangists launched an operation in an attempt to stop the clashes within the Christian areas, and to unite all the Christian militias under Gemayel's command. This operation resulted in a massacre of tens of Tigers' members at the Marine beach resort in Safra, 25 km north of Beirut. Camille Chamoun's silence was interpreted as acceptance of Gemayel's controls, because he felt that the Tigers led by his son were getting out of his control.
In 1981 at Zahlé in the Beqaa, the largest Christian town in the East, confronted one of the biggest battles – both military and political – between the Lebanese Forces and the Syrian occupying forces. The Lebanese Forces was able to confront them even though there was a big mismatch in military capabilities and was able to reverse the result of the battle of 1981. This victory was due to the bravery of the inhabitants and 92 Lebanese Forces soldiers sent from Beirut. The Syrian occupying forces used all kind of weapons against the town, and they cut all kind of backup that may come from the Mountain. Regardless of the very bad weather and heavy bombing, convoys were sent in the snow to Zahle. Two Lebanese Forces soldiers died on a hill due to bad weather, they were found later holding each other till they died. The battle of Zahle gave the Lebanese Cause a new perspective in the International Communities, and the victory was both military and diplomatic. It made the Leadership of President Bachir Gemayel much stronger because of his leadership and important role in this battle. The battle started in April the 2nd 1981, and finished with a cease fire and Lebanese Police were sent to Zahle. The 92 Lebanese Forces heroes returned to Beirut on 1 July 1981.
Israeli invasion
, arguing that a military intervention was necessary in order to root out PLO guerrillas from the southern part of the country. Israeli forces eventually moved towards Beirut and laid siege to the city, aiming to reshape the Lebanese political landscape and force the PLO out of Lebanon. The Israeli forces had demanded that Bachir and the Lebanese Forces would play a larger role in Israel’s invasion of Beirut however, Bachir would refuse. In the end, the only action the Lebanese Forces would take during the Israeli invasion of Beirut would be the battle against the Syrian forces occupying the Lebanese University - Faculty of Science in Hadath. The Lebanese Forces would come out victorious successfully expelling the Syrian forces from the university.After the PLO had been expelled from the country and moved its headquarters to Tunisia, in a negotiated agreement, Bachir Gemayel became the youngest man to ever be elected president of Lebanon. He was elected by the parliament in August; most Muslim members of parliament boycotted the vote.
On 3 September 1982, during the meeting, Begin demanded that Bachir sign a peace treaty with Israel as soon as he took office in return for Israel's earlier support of Lebanese Forces and he also told Bachir that the IDF would stay in South Lebanon if the Peace Treaty was not directly signed. Bachir was furious with Begin and told him that the Lebanese Forces did not fight for seven years and he also told Begin that they did not sacrifice thousands of soldiers to free Lebanon from the Syrian Army and the PLO so that Israel could take their place. The meeting ended in rage and both sides were not happy with each other.
Begin was reportedly angry with Bachir for his public denial of Israel's support. Bachir refused to accept the offer of immediate peace by arguing that time was needed to reach a consensus with the Lebanese Muslims and the Arab nations. Bachir was quoted telling David Kimche, the director general of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, a few days earlier, "Please tell your people to be patient. I am committed to make peace with Israel, and I shall do it. But I need time – nine months, maximum one year. I need to mend my fences with the Arab countries, especially with Saudi Arabia, so that Lebanon can once again play its central role in the economy of the Middle East."
In an attempt to fix the relationship between Bachir and Begin, Ariel Sharon held a secret meeting with Bachir in Bikfaya. In this meeting, they both agreed that, after 48 hours, the IDF would cooperate with the Lebanese Army in order to force the Syrian Army out of Lebanon. After that was done, the IDF would peacefully leave Lebanese territory. Concerning the Peace Negotiations, Sharon agreed to give Bachir time to resolve the internal conflicts before signing the negotiations. The next day, Begin's office issued a statement which said that the issues which Bachir and Sharon had agreed upon were accepted.
On 13 September 1982, LF chief of staff Fadi Frem, who was married to one of Bachir’s nieces, would be elected commander in chief of the Lebanese Forces taking Bachir’s place as the latter was expected to assume his term as president. Fadi Frem was a known advocate of federalism and went as far as to travel to the US to advocate for its implementation in Lebanon.
Nine days before he was to take office, on 14 September 1982, Bachir was assassinated along with 25 others when a bomb exploded in the Kataeb headquarters in Achrafieh. The attack was carried out by Habib Shartouni, a member of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, believed by many to have acted on instructions of the Syrian government of President Hafez al-Assad. The next day, Israel moved to occupy the city, allowing Phalangist members under a young Elie Hobeika's command to enter the centrally located Sabra and the Shatila refugee camp; a massacre followed, in which Phalangists killed between 800 and 3,500 civilians, mostly Palestinians and Lebanese Shiites, with many victims found raped and tortured. The massacre caused great international uproar, especially towards Sharon.
Bachir Gemayel’s assassination would demoralize the men of the Lebanese Forces who were sure that with Bachir’s election, peace would prevail throughout the country and that the victory was theirs. The Israeli invasion and their cooperation with the Lebanese government allowed many displaced Christians to return to areas they had previously been expelled from. These areas include the Druze majority mountain from where Christians had been expelled following the massacres that followed Kamal Jumblatt’s assassination by Syria. Other areas consist of the coastal Chouf, including the town of Damour, and southern villages, such as Aishiyeh.
Post-Bachir Gemayel Era (1982–1986)
Mountain War
After the Israeli invasion, the IDF troops settled in the Chouf and Aley from party militias, the Lebanese Forces returned to the Christian villages which had been occupied by the PSP for seven years, and many Christian civilians from the districts returned after having fled earlier in the war. However, soon after, clashes broke out between the Lebanese Forces and the Druze militias who had now taken over the districts and had earlier kicked out the Christian inhabitants. The main Druze militiamen came from the Progressive Socialist Party, led by Walid Jumblatt, in alliance with the Syrian Army and Palestinian militants who had not departed Lebanon in 1982. For months, the two fought what would later be known as the "Mountain War." At the peak of the battle, Israeli troops infamously abandoned the area, handing the best tactical positions over to the Druze militias and their allies as punishment for the Christians' refusal to sign the 17 May peace agreement with Israel, and leaving the Christian forces to fight.At the same time, a small number of ill-equipped Lebanese Forces troops also fought battles against the Palestinian and Druze militias and the Syrian troop east of the southern city of Sidon. The outcome was also a Progressive Socialist Party victory and a contiguous Druze Chouf district with access to Lebanese sea ports.
Jumblatt's militia then overstepped itself by advancing further into Souk El Gharb, a village also held by the Lebanese Forces. After fierce battles and severe casualties the attackers were pushed back. However, the Lebanese Forces eventually handed over their positions in Souk El Gharb to the Lebanese army which had great interests in defending the town due to the strategic importance it holds for the army and the Lebanese government as the town lies on the flanks of the Ministry of Defense and the Presidential Palace. After the retreat, the Lebanese Forces freed up more than 2,500 fighters including elite units to fight on other fronts.
On 9 October 1984, Fadi Frem would be replaced as commander in chief by Bachir Gemayel’s nephew Fouad Abou Nader. His election was supported by Amin Gemayel, and the Kataeb, who sought to establish his influence over the Lebanese Forces. Fadi Frem and Amin Gemayel were in disagreement in regards to Syria as Amin was more reconciliatory while Frem was strict in his refusal to deal with the Syrians.