Conflict Incident Report

The militias went into Damour and Jiyeh and proceeded to kill entire families, including children, women, and elderly people. Rapes, burning, looting, and destruction also occurred. Civilians who had sought refuge in the church were killed or summarily executed. Graves were desecrated. A priest who survived the attack reported that whole families were killed in their homes, many women were gang-raped, and few of them were left alive afterward. Between 150 and 500 civilians were killed that day, out of an estimated population of 35,000. The groups that took part in the attack were mainly formed of NM and PLO militias, DFLP, Fatah, as well as as-Sa`iqa, LCP, OCAL, and Murabitun. There was a decision to “empty the city,” and the operation was conducted under the command of Fatah and as-Sa`iqa.