111101 - Facts - Chronology - Lebanese war

Lebanese war chronology - 1986

January 1, 1986 wednesday		It is a bad beginning of the year for the Lebanese Forces. A conflict emerged within the party, causing exchanges of rockets and gunshots in Zalka and Nahr El Mott. Ten persons were killed or wounded. The signature by Elie Hobeika of the tripartite agreement in Damascus, triggered the fight.
January 13, 1986 monday		13 hours of combats and military operations opposed the Phalangists, followers of the President of the Republic, to Elie Hobeika and his men. The Army intervened to separate the belligerents.
January 14, 1986 tuesday		The eleventh Gemayel-Assad summit was a total failure.
January 15, 1986 wednesday		In eight hours of violent fights, 100 persons were killed, and the chief of staff of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea, evinced Elie Hobeika sending him into exile.
January 16, 1986 thursday		Confrontations started on the Northern Metn front. The shells kept falling intermittently during several months on Bickfaya, the Metn and the Kesrouan. The population in these regions was living in the fear of car bombs and blind bombardments.
January 21, 1986 tuesday		A car bomb exploded in Furn El Chebback. An entire street of over 100 meters was devastated, 30 persons were killed, and 132 others were wounded.
January 23, 1986 thursday		The Lebanese Pound registered a fast decline. A new record was broken when the Dollar was being exchanged for 24 Lebanese Pounds.
January 26, 1986 sunday		The Lebanese radical opposition called President Gemayel to resign.
February 1, 1986 satruday		A delegation from the Union of Independent Maronite Deputies visited Damascus in an effort to reestablish the dialogue between the Christians and Syria.
February 3, 1986 monday		Death hit once again. A bomb hidden in a suitcase exploded in Jdeideh killing four persons and wounding 22 others.
February 12, 1986 wednesday		A bomb exploded in Ain El Remmaneh next to the entrance of a building where a Phalange Party office was located. Two persons lost their lives and 17 others were injured.
February 18, 1986 tuesday		President Gemayel met French President Miterrand and Pope John Paul II in the Vatican. He also met King Hassan II of Morocco.
February 24, 1986 monday		Islamists killed a communist leader, Souheil Tawileh, in Mazraa. Four days earlier, another communist leader, Khalil Nous, was assassinated. Meanwhile, terrorist-killing attempts continued in the Eastern regions. A car bomb exploded on the Salomeh intersection, causing 4 dead and 16 injured.
March 4, 1986 tuesday		Artillery duels were raging between the Eastern and Western sectors of the capital, killing tens of persons, and wounding hundreds.
March 5, 1986 wednesday		The Islamic Jihad announced the execution of Michel Seurat. The French sociologist was kidnapped on the 22nd of May at the same time as the journalist Jean-Paul Kauffmann.
March 9, 1986 sunday		The black series continued. Terrorism hit this time Jeetaoui where a car bomb killed 3 persons and wounded 40 others. Four French journalists from Antenne 2 were kidnapped in Bir El Abed.
March 21, 1986 friday		A sad gift for mother's day in the mountain: shells fell on 20 villages in the Metn and the Kesrouan. Violent combats were reported in the mountain, killing 3 and injuring 21 persons on this 'usual' day.
March 26, 1986 wednesday		A car stuffed with explosives and inflammable material exploded in Achrafieh, while a timing bomb ravaged a Phalangist office in Tahouita. Together, the two explosions killed 10 persons and wounded 80 others. The bombardment of the Eastern regions continued in the meantime.
March 27, 1986 thursday		After the Fatah claimed responsibility for the Katioucha shots on Kiryat Shmona, the Israeli aviation attacked the camps of Mieh Mieh and Ain El Heloueh. Ten persons were killed and 30 others were wounded.
March 29, 1986 satruday		The dollar jumped from 19 to 23 Lebanese Pounds.
April 4, 1986 friday		The 45 French observers in charge of observing the dividing lines in Beirut and in the Mountain, left Lebanon. Their departure was probably due to political changes in France.
April 8, 1986 tuesday		Suddenly, horror hit the heart of Jounieh. A car bomb exploded killing 11 persons and wounding 89 others, spreading an indescribable panic and ravaging four residential buildings.
April 9, 1986 wednesday		A French teacher from the Collge Protestant Franais, Michel Brian, was kidnapped in Hamra, thus increasing the number of French nationals held hostages in Lebanon to 9. Mgr Achille Silvestrini, the special envoy of Pope John Paul II, arrived in Lebanon to meet Lebanese and Syrian leaders, in an effort to end the crisis in the country. He left on April 14 after having partially failed in his mission.
April 10, 1986 thursday		There are no limits for barbarian crimes. A car bomb exploded in Saida killing three persons and wounding 35 others.
April 11, 1986 friday		The French teacher, Michel Brian, kidnapped on April 7, was released in the Bekaa. Another Irish teacher, Brian Kenaan was kidnapped in West Beirut. To protest against the kidnapping of foreign professors, schools and universities in West Beirut went on strike on April 14.
April 17, 1986 thursday		The British teachers John Leigh Douglas and Philip Ralph Patfield, kidnapped on the 28th of March 1986, were executed and their bodies were thrown on the Roueissat-Sofar road. A cameraman, John McCarthy, was kidnapped on the Beirut International Airport road. An extremist organization announced the hanging of Alec Colett, a British journalist who was working at the UNRWA. The dead body of Peter Kilburn, librarian at the AUB, who was kidnapped on the 3rd of December 1984, was also found. Furthermore, the British embassy in Zokak EL Blatt was partially destroyed and burned by rocket shots.
April 19, 1986 satruday		The Maronite Church had a new Patriarch in the person of Mgr Nasrallah Sfeir. A triple task was waiting for him. He had to reinstate the authority of the church, clean up the inter-religious relations, and reconcile the executive power with Syria.
April 20, 1986 sunday		38 Westerners including 35 British left Beirut. By the end of April, all Western nationals had left West Beirut fearing to be kidnapped or killed.
April 21, 1986 monday		A serious outburst of violence plunged Beirut and its surroundings back into the anguish of blind bombardments. 4 persons were killed and 53 were injured.
May 3, 1986 satruday		While the bombardments continued in Beirut and its suburbs, the army closed all crossing points for security reasons, except the road of Hadeth Mreyjeh. Beirut was cut into two.
May 8, 1986 thursday		Starting this date, Lebanon was on the black list of terrorist countries put together by the European Community ad hoc commission. This was due to the activist bases and kidnappings that were taking place in the country.
May 9, 1986 friday		The opening of the airport of Halate caused discontent in the country. A few minutes after President Gemayel's airplane landed in Halate coming from a three-day trip in Tunisia, the airport was severely bombed.
May 10, 1986 satruday		The Syrian President Hafez El Assad examined the possibility of modifying the tripartite agreement signed in December 1985. This treaty was one of the fundamental causes of the political and military crisis that was ravaging the country since January 15.
May 15, 1986 thursday		A general strike was observed in universities and schools in West Beirut, to protest against repeated aggressions against teachers.
May 21, 1986 wednesday		On the eve of the meeting in Dar El Fatwa between the Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir and the Mufti of the Republic Sheikh Hassan Khaled, artillerymen unleashed their guns, killing 30 persons and wounding 60 others. The meeting was postponed.
May 23, 1986 friday		A new car bomb exploded in Sin El Fil early in the morning, when the schools were opening their doors. Seven persons were killed, 111 were wounded, and 3 had disappeared. A serious gas shortage hit West Beirut while the bombardments continued in both sectors of the capital.
May 26, 1986 monday		While the schools were closed to protest against the situation, a bomb exploded in Dora, killing a mother and her child and wounding seven persons. The conflict between the Lebanese Forces and Damascus reached its paroxysm while the camp war between Amal and the Palestinians clamed more victims.
June 13, 1986 friday		The Muslim leaders agreed with Damascus upon the replacement of militias by regular Lebanese forces. Karameh who was back from Damascus presented the resignation of his government.
June 16, 1986 monday		Georges Saadeh was elected new president of the Phalange Party replacing Dr. Elie Karameh.
June 20, 1986 friday		Two French hostages, Philippe Rochot and Georges Hansen were released.
June 24, 1986 tuesday		A buffer force from the Lebanese Army deployed around the Palestinian camps. Calm was back for good on June 28.
June 28, 1986 satruday		The army and the Internal Security Forces deployed in West Beirut supported by civilian Syrian observers.
July 3, 1986 thursday		The Lebanese General Confederation of Workers called for a strike to protest against the increase in prices.
July 4, 1986 friday		200 Commandos of the special Syrian forces helped the Lebanese Army and the Internal Security Forces to maintain security in Beirut.
July 14, 1986 monday		The Israeli aviation launched a raid on Baissour, Aitate, and Chemlane. The target was PSP, PFLP, and DFLP positions; 5 persons died and 11 were injured in the operation.
July 19, 1986 satruday		A killing attempt was perpetrated against a bus transporting AUB students and employees from West to East Beirut. Four dead including three students and five wounded including two doctors were reported. This massacre constituted a challenge to the pacification plan.
July 26, 1986 satruday		Father Martin Lawrence Jenco, a US Catholic cleric, was released. The Islamic Jihad had kidnapped him in January 1985.
July 28, 1986 monday		A bomb set in a Mercedes car exploded in Ain El Remmaneh killing 31 persons and injuring 128 others. How long will innocents of all religions be paying the price of a war that had lasted for too long?
July 29, 1986 tuesday		Death hit this time in Barbir. 22 dead and 163 wounded victims were reported. The helplessness of the Lebanese was pitiful.
August 1, 1986 friday		While inviting Syria to pursue its initiative in Lebanon, President Gemayel proposed to open a dialog within the Parliament.
August 8, 1986 friday		After three explosions in Dora, Jal el Dib and Bourj Hammoud, terrorism moved to Tarik Jdideh where a car bomb killed 13 persons and wounded 106 others.
August 10, 1986 sunday		Rival factions from the Lebanese Forces fought in the Eastern regions. The previous commander of the Lebanese Forces, Fouad Abounader was injured in Dora.
August 11, 1986 monday		Fights opposed The UNIFL and Amal for 16 hours in Tyr.
August 14, 1986 thursday		A car parked next to a hospital in Dora exploded killing 24 persons and wounding 84 others. No words were sufficient anymore to denounce the massacres that spared no one and reduced human beings to a chess pawn on a chess game where the players did not respect any rule and were manipulated by nothing else then hatred.
August 19, 1986 tuesday		Camille Chamoun, Joseph Hachem and Rachid Karameh met at the Villa Mansour.
September 2, 1986 tuesday		The first meeting of the Dialog Committee was held at the Beirut racecourse. The ten members of the government met for the first time since November 1985. The Ministers decided to elaborate a new National Pact.
September 4, 1986 thursday		The war against Westerners had new targets now. It was the turn of UNIFL soldiers to be aggressed. Three French Blue Helmets were killed in Jouaya in South Lebanon. The UN Security Council called for urgent security measures in favor of the UNIFL.
September 10, 1986 wednesday		The Islamic Jihad kidnapped Frank Reed, director of the Lebanese International College and Victor Kanho, governor of the Lion's Club in Lebanon and Jordan.
September 12, 1986 friday		Another US national, James Cicippio was kidnapped on the AUB campus, therefore raising the number of Americans kidnapped to 6.
September 18, 1986 thursday		While a terrorist vague submerged France, the French military attaché, Christian Goutierre was assassinated in Mar Takla.
September 25, 1986 thursday		The UNIFL Blue Helmets repositioned themselves; they occupied three out of the 32 positions they were initially occupying.
September 27, 1986 satruday		500 fighters led by Elie Hobeika entered Achrafieh where they fought ferociously with Geagea's men. The Lebanese Forces and the army rebuffed the infiltration. 65 persons lost their lives in the operation while 200 others were wounded.
September 29, 1986 monday		Colonel Khalil Kanaan was assassinated in his home in Hazmieh. A French journalist, Jean-Marc Sroussi, was kidnapped in the Southern suburbs of Beirut.
October 16, 1986 thursday		During a raid against Palestinian positions, an Israeli F16 was shot in Saida. One of the two Israeli pilots was captured while Israel saved the second in a helicopter operation.
October 21, 1986 tuesday		Hussein Husseini was reelected Speaker of the National Assembly. A seventh US national, Edward Tracy was kidnapped in West Beirut.
October 25, 1986 satruday		The Camps War opposing Amal to the Palestinians spread to Saida.
October 30, 1986 thursday		The Lebanese Pound reached a historical exchange rate record with the dollar. One dollar was equivalent to 52.25 to 53 Lebanese Pounds.
November 2, 1986 sunday		An American, David Jacobsen, detained by the Islamic Jihad since the 27th of May 1985, was finally released.
November 5, 1986 wednesday		The reactivated and broadened Lebanese Front held its first sittings.
November 10, 1986 monday		Two French hostages, Camille Sontag and Marcel Coudari were released.
November 25, 1986 tuesday		The armed conflict between Amal and the Palestinians spread to Maghdoucheh. Ferocious combats took place in this Christian strategic town. Ultimately, it fell partially in the hands of Palestinians and its residents were forced to flee from their homes.
December 2, 1986 tuesday		A general strike paralyzed the country. The Lebanese were unable to cope with the increase in prices. The leaders couldn't find any solution to the crisis. The popular discontent was on the rise.
December 5, 1986 friday		Abou Melhem died. The great TV comedian, whose real name was Adib Haddad, became famous for playing, for many years, the character of a villager famous for his common sense. The grandfather of all the Lebanese had disappeared.
December 13, 1986 satruday		The Camps Car continued. After ten hours of violent combats, the Chatila camp was 90% destroyed and tens of deaths were reported.
December 19, 1986 friday		Violent combats opposed in Tripoli the Syrian Army to Islamist militiamen. The fights made 12 dead and 35 injuries. The Syrian Army launched an Islamists hunting at the end of which one of the major leaders of the Islamic Unification Movement was arrested.
December 24, 1986 wednesday		Aurel Cornea, one of the Antenne 2 journalists kidnapped on June 21, was released by the Organization of Revolutionary Justice.
December 26, 1986 friday		The dollar crossed the 80 Lebanese Pounds threshold. It continued its rise to reach the fateful three digit numbers. According to statistics, consumer products had increased by 204% in a year and the Lebanese Pound had depreciated by 365%.

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