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List of massacres in Lebanon

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The following is a list of massacres that have occurred in Lebanon (numbers may be approximate):

Name Date Location Deaths Victims Perpetrators Notes
Siege of Tyre (332 BC) 332 BC Tyre 2,000 Tyrians Ancient Macedonian army 2,000 Tyrians crucified on the beach by Alexander the Great's army
1860 Mount Lebanon civil war July 9–11, 1860 Beirut and Damascus, Syria 10000 Christians Druze (Supported by the Ottoman empire) Large massacres of Christians at Deir al-Qamar, Hasbaya, and Rashaya took place in Mount Lebanon. Many fled to Damascus, where Druze and Muslim mobs with the help of rogue Ottoman troops massacred several thousand Christian civilians; 326 villages, 560 churches, 28 colleges, 42 convents, and 9 other religious establishments were completely destroyed.
1860 Mount Lebanon civil war 1860 Mount Lebanon 6000 Druze Christians Around 6000 Druze were Massacred by Maronites Christians in Mount Lebanon during the 1860 Lebanese civil war. Druze religious temples and homes were raided or destroyed by the Maronite Christians in Druze villages.
Execution of Arab nationalists May 6, 1916 Beirut and Damascus, Syria 23 Arab Nationalists Ottoman Empire Ottoman Empire (Djemal Pasha) On May 6, 1916, Jamal Pasha publicly executed simultaneously seven Arabs in Damascus and fourteen in Beirut for alleged anti-Turkish activities. The date, May 6, is commemorated annually in both countries as Martyrs' Day, and the site in Beirut has come to be known as Martyrs' Square.
Ain Ebel massacre May 5, 1920 Ain Ebel 50–100 Christians Shia Muslims and pro-Faisal gang Mahmoud Bazzi's gang, which "proceeded from brigandage to confronting France and its Christian friends in the south," attacked Ain Ebel on May 5, 1920, pillaging and killing more than 50 people. The people of Ain Ebel defended the town from sunrise to sunset until they ran out of ammunition. The town was completely destroyed, and the damage done to the two churches, school and convent, was evidence of sectarian malice.
Rashaya revolt massacre November 1925 Rashaya Unknown Christians Druze The anti-French revolt's expansion into Lebanon and stories of massacres targeting local Christians sparked worry among the Christians of southern Lebanon.[1] Around 400 Christian homes in Rashaya were either damaged or destroyed in the fighting.
Tripoli student massacre November 13, 1943 Tripoli 14 Student protesters French-Senegalese soldiers The students were struck by French tanks driven by Senegalese soldiers while participating in a peaceful march through the streets. During the demonstration, the students were fervently advocating for an end to French Colonial Rule.[2][3][4][5] All the victims were under the age of 15.
Hula massacre October 31, 1948 Hula 35–58 Lebanese Israel Carmeli Brigade, Israel Defense Forces Hula, located in Lebanon, was captured on October 24 by the Carmeli Brigade of the Israel Defense Forces without any resistance. The women and children were expelled, most of the men aged between 15 and 60 were shot. In total between 35 and 58 men were executed in a house which was later blown up on top of them.[6]
Miziara massacre June 16, 1957 Miziara 30 Douaihy clan Frangieh clan Sleiman Frangieh and his followers killed 30 loyalist to the Douaihy family in a church in Miziara. Victims included nuns, priests, women and children.[7]
Bus massacre April 13, 1975 Beirut 27 Palestine Liberation Organization PLO Kataeb Regulatory forces Lebanese Christians On the morning of 13 April 1975, SSNP members in a speeding car, disguised as PLO gunmen, fired on a church in the Christian East Beirut suburb of Ain el-Rummaneh, killing four people, including two Maronite Phalangists. Hours later, 27 Palestinian civilians traveling in a bus through one of the Ain el Rummaneh neighborhoods of Beirut were attacked and killed by Christian Phalangists. Many more people were killed in subsequent fighting in other areas of the city later that day. Together, these incidents have been identified by several historians as the starting point of the Lebanese Civil War.[8]
Black Thursday May 30, 1975 Bashoura, Beirut 30–50 Christians State of Palestine Palestinians The bodies were abandoned in a Muslim cemetery, with possible intention of provoking a sectarian message, close to the Green Line separating East and West Beirut, all with their genitals mutilated off.[9]
Beit Mellat Massacre September 10, 1975 Beit Mellat, Akkar 15–25 Christians State of Palestine Palestinians and Syrians Between five and eight

civilians were killed, and ten has disappeared. Also, the militiamen burned down homes and the church, and stole several cars.[9]

Black Saturday December 6, 1975 Beirut 300–350 Druze, Muslims Kataeb Regulatory Forces Lebanese Christians Four young Christian Phalangists were assassinated on the Fanar (Matn) road in Beirut. In retaliation, Phalangists murdered hundreds of non-Christians. It is estimated that more than 300 civilians were murdered in what was the first ethnic cleansing of the Lebanese Civil War.
Karantina massacre January 18, 1976 Beirut 300–1,500 Palestinians and Lebanese Muslims Kataeb Regulatory Forces Lebanese Christians Karantina was an impoverished predominantly Muslim district — housing Lebanese and Palestine refugees, as well as others — in northeastern Beirut, and was overrun by the Lebanese Christian militias.
Damour massacre January 20, 1976 Damour 150-582[10] Christians State of Palestine Palestine Liberation Organisation, Lebanese National Movement PLO and LNM units attacked a Christian town, purportedly as revenge for the earlier Karantina Massacre by Christian militias. Among those killed were Phalangist militiamen and family members of Christian militia leader Elie Hobeika, and his fiancée. Hobeika later led the Phalangists in the Sabra and Shatila massacre.
Chekka massacre July 5, 1976 Chekka and Hamat 200 Christians Lebanese National Movement The attack was launched from Tripoli by Palestinian militants and members of a left-wing group called Jund Allah. The group stormed the Christian pro-Syrian Social Nationalist Party settlement of Chekka as well as Hamat. An estimated 200 people were killed in the ensuing 24 hours. Residents tried to flee through a tunnel to Batroun but the attackers blocked the exit. Many were killed as their cars caught fire, and they suffocated to death.[11]
Tel al-Zaatar massacre August 12, 1976 Beirut 1,500–5,000 Palestinians Kataeb Regulatory Forces Lebanese Christians Christian Phalangists and other rightwing Christian militias besieged Tel Al-Zaatar with help from Syrian Army units; after heavy fighting, they killed Palestinian civilian refugees and PLO fedayeen or fighters. 4,000 injured.
Aishiyeh massacre October 19–21, 1976 Aishiyeh 60–80 Christians State of Palestine Fatah, As-Sa'iqa Fatah and As-Sa'iqa massacred the predominantly Christian village, although the killings were overshadowed by the massacres of Tel al-Zaatar and Damour earlier the same year.
Salima massacre September 28–30, 1976 Salima 29 Druze Kataeb Regulatory Forces Lebanese Christians Christian fighters from Damour killed 29 Druze civilians in Salima.[12]
Maasser Beit Eddine executions October 28, 1976 Maasser Beit Eddine 16 Christians PSP 16 Christian civilians, including a family of eight, were killed by PSP members in Maasser Beit ed-Dine.[13]
Chouf massacres (1977) 1977 Chouf 135+ Christians PSP Series of massacres and forced displacements on Christian civilians following Kamal Jumblatt's death.[14]
St George's Church attack August 21, 1977 Brih, Chouf 13 Christians Druze Druze leftist gunmen attacked St George's Church during prayers on Sunday with automatic gunfire inside and around the church killing 13 people.[15]
Ehden massacre June 13, 1978 Ehden 40 Marada Movement Kataeb Regulatory Forces It was an inter-Christian attack that occurred between the Maronite clans.[16][17] A Phalangist squad attacked the mansion of Frangieh family in an attempt to capture Ehden, killing nearly 40 people including Tony Frangieh, his spouse and his three-year-old daughter, Jihane.[18][19] After the massacre, the power of the Frangiehs is reported to have declined.[20]
Qaa massacre June 28, 1978 Qaa 26 Kataeb Regulatory Forces Marada Movement Said to be revenge after the death of Marada leader Tony Frangieh in the Ehden massacre.
Safra massacre July 7, 1980 Safra 83 National Liberal Party (Lebanon) Kataeb Regulatory Forces
Sabra and Shatila massacre September 16, 1982 West Beirut 1300–3,500 Palestinians and Lebanese Shiites Muslims Lebanese Forces Lebanese Christians (attack)
Israel Defense Forces (support) 		Sabra and Shatila were Palestinian refugee camps housing both Sunni and Christian Palestinian refugees, as well as some poor Lebanese and Kurds. The Phalanges attacked the camp in retaliation for the assassination of President Bachir Gemayel.
Mountain war massacres 1983 South Mount Lebanon Unknown Christians Druze Druze forces massacred hundreds of Christian civilians, ethnically cleansing South Mount Lebanon from Christian presence.
1983 United States embassy bombing April 18, 1983 Beirut 63 Lebanese and Americans Islamic Jihad Organization Islamic militants bombed United States embassy
1983 Beirut barracks bombing October 23, 1983 Beirut 307 Americans, French and Lebanese Islamic Jihad Organization Victims were mostly American Marines.
1984 Sohmor massacre September 20, 1984 Sohmor 13 Lebanese Shiite Muslims Israel Israel Defence Forces, and South Lebanon Army

Lebanese Christians

War of the Camps May 1985 West Beirut 3,781 Palestinians Shi'ite militias, Syrian Armed Forces Lebanese army Sabra, Shatila and Burj el-Barajneh Palestinian refugee camps were besieged and bombed by the Shi'ite Amal militia, with Syrian Army support. 6,787 injured. Some activity occurred after May 1985
Dahr al-Wahsh massacre October 1990 Dahr al-Wahsh, Aley 75–80 Lebanese Syrian Armed Forces Dahr al-Wahsh has received attention as the site of an October, 1990 conflict termed the "Dahr al-Wahsh massacre" by Middle-East studies professor Mordechai Nisan.[21] Interpretation and description of the event varies according to source.
October 13 massacre October 13, 1990 Beirut 740–940 Lebanese Syrian Armed Forces 2000 injured; Maronite Lebanese soldiers and civilians were killed by Syrian forces after surrender.
Mansouri attack April 13, 1996 Mansouri 6 Lebanese Israel Israel Defense Forces
Nabatieh Fawka attack April 16, 1996 Nabatieh Fawka 9 Lebanese Israel Israel Defense Forces
First Qana Massacre April 18, 1996 Qana 106 Lebanese Israel Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces fired artillery shells at a United Nations compound, which had given refuge to 800 Lebanese civilians. 116 injured in addition to 106 deaths.
Second Qana Massacre July 30, 2006 Qana 28 Lebanese Israel Israeli Air Force
Marjayoun Convoy Incident August 11, 2006 Kefraya 7 Lebanese + Red Cross Israel Israel Air Force The IDF bombed a 359 vehicles convoy which was granted right of safe passage from the IDF, mediated through the UNIFIL. A reporter confirmed that the Red cross and Civil defense coming to aid the convoy were also bombed, which resulted in the death of a Red Cross volunteer
2021 Beirut clashes October 14, 2021 Tayouneh 7 Hezbollah members Amal movement members (Lebanese Shiite Muslims) Lebanese Forces Lebanese Christians The violence erupted during a protest organized by Hezbollah against Tarek Bitar, the lead judge probing the 2020 explosion in the city's port, as they accuse him of being partisan.The clashes took place at the Justice Palace, located in Eastern Beirut along the former civil war front line between the Christian and Muslim Shiite areas. 7 hezbollah and Amal movement members were killed

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Khoury, p. 181.
  2. ^ "مجزرة طرابلس في 13 تشرين الثاني 1943ساهمت في تسريع إعلان إستقلال لبنان!." 22 November 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  3. ^ الأسمر, جودي. "حين استشهد 14 طالبًا في طرابلس تحت دبابات الفرنسيين." almodon. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  4. ^ "مقاربة استقلالية... طرابلس تعيد انتاج وطنيتها بعد 17 تشرين". annahar.com. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  5. ^ "شهداء مجزرة الاستقلال في طرابلس… من ينصفهم ومن يخلّد ذكراهم؟ - تراث طرابلس". 17 September 2011. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  6. ^ Tveit, Odd Karsten (2010) Goodbye Lebanon. Israel's First Defeat. Rimal Publication. Translated by Peter Scott-Hansen. ISBN 978-9963-715-03-9. p.368. Quoting General Dov Yermiya.
  7. ^ "Lebanese warlord Franjieh wields power like Mafia don".
  8. ^ Ya'ari, Ehud (1 June 1987). "Behind the Terror". The Atlantic. ISSN 2151-9463. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Lebanon's legacy of political violence" (PDF). ictj.org.
  10. ^ Nisan, 2003
  11. ^ ictj (29 July 2014). "Attack on Chekka and Hamat". Civil Society Knowledge Centre. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  12. ^ https://www.ictj.org/sites/default/files/ICTJ-Report-Lebanon-Mapping-2013-EN_0.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  13. ^ ictj (29 July 2014). "Christian civilians killed and displaced in Chouf". Civil Society Knowledge Centre. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  14. ^ ictj (30 July 2014). "Christian massacres in Chouf and in West Beirut". Civil Society Knowledge Centre. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  15. ^ ictj (30 July 2014). "Massacre of St. George Church in Brih". Civil Society Knowledge Centre. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
  16. ^ Sune Haugbolle (25 October 2011). "The historiography and the memory of the Lebanese civil war". Mass Violence.
  17. ^ N. Kliot (January 1987). "The Collapse of the Lebanese State". Middle Eastern Studies. 23 (1): 54–74. doi:10.1080/00263208708700688. JSTOR 4283154.
  18. ^ "Six major leaders killed in Lebanon since 1943". The Telegraph. 2 June 1987. Retrieved 6 November 2012.
  19. ^ Muhamad Mugraby (July 2008). "The syndrome of one-time exceptions and the drive to establish the proposed Hariri court". Mediterranean Politics. 13 (2): 171–194. doi:10.1080/13629390802127513. S2CID 153915546. Pdf. Archived 12 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  20. ^ "Suleiman Franjiyah". Wars of Lebanon. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  21. ^ Nisan, Mordechai (2003). The Conscience of Lebanon: A Political Biography of Etienne Sakr (Abu-Arz). Routledge. pp. 94–95. ISBN 0-7146-5392-6.
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