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Chouf Massacres
Mainly between March 16, 1977 and March 30, 1977 (with other attacks occurring in mid-August) a series of massacres on Christian civilians took place in the Chouf region during the Lebanese Civil War. The massacres were mostly committed by Druze gunmen of the People's Liberation Army after the assassination of Druze leader Kamal Jumblatt. Many victims were mutilated and women were reportedly sexually abused. Background Long-standing enemies since the 1860s, the Druze have always been at odds with the Maronites, and acts of barbarism on both sides have bedevilled their ability to co-exist for centuries past. On 16 March 1977, the PSP leader Kamal Jumblatt was ambushed and killed in his car near Baakline in the Chouf by unidentified gunmen (allegedly, fighters from the pro-Syrian faction of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, acting in collusion with the Syrian military commander of the Mount Lebanon region, Colonel Ibrahim Houeijy);Rabinovich, ''The War for Lebanon'' (1989), p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chouf District
Chouf (also spelled Shouf, Shuf or Chuf, in ''Jabal ash-Shouf''; french: La Montagne du Chouf) is a historic region of Lebanon, as well as an administrative district in the governorate (muhafazat) of Mount Lebanon. Geography Located south-east of Beirut, the region comprises a narrow coastal strip notable for the Christian town of Damour, and the valleys and mountains of the western slopes of Jabal Barouk, the name of the local Mount Lebanon massif, on which the largest forest of Cedars of Lebanon is found. The mountains are high enough to receive snow. History The Emirs of Lebanon used to have their residence in Chouf, most notably Druze Emir Fakhr al-Din II, who attained considerable power and acted with significant autonomy from the Ottoman Empire in the 17th century. He is often referred to as the founder of modern Lebanon, although his area of influence and later control included parts of current Israel and Syria. Other emirs include the more controversial Bachir Chehab I ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
