STATEMENT ABOUT THE SHEMLAN - EINAB FIGHT
From "The Lebanese Crisis" May 1958

Two weeks ago the rebels began amassing large forces, between southern Shouf and the entrances to El-Gharb, in Jisr-el-Kadi area. As the rebel radio stations and papers, and the Damascus and Cairo radios announced, these massive forces were intent on reaching the Beirut International Air port, and thus deal the Lebanese regime a final, crushing blow. Last Sunday evening, the 29th of June, these forces began their advance supported by some pro-rebel villages and reached Shamlan where the Social Nationalists were concentrated. Some two months ago, the Social Nationalist Party headquarters had announced to all those concerned that the Party wishes to avoid engaging in fights against any group of citizens in order to evade bloodshed in the country. At the same time the Party made it clear to all that it shall not suffer anyone to disregard the following two considerations: 1) Non-aggression on any state establishment such as the Airport nor the prevalence of confusion and chaos. 2) the safety of the Social Nationalists and non-aggression on them either as a whole or as individuals.

Since the rebel forces advancing from the Shouf have violated these two considerations, the Social Nationalists were obliged to come into a decisive battle with them which went on from Sunday night, the 29th of June, till Friday night, the 4th of July. Fought by the Social Nationalists who were supported by some small Government forces during the last stages, these battles resulted in the Social Nationalists occupying four positions that were held by the insurgents and they are: Kayfoon, Einab, the Hills of Beisour, and the intersection known as Kabr-Shmoon. The outcome of these military actions that were carried out by the Social Nationalists forces was the defeat of the rebels and the failure of their plan to advance on the Airport. The rebels left behind 325 killed whose corpses were witnessed by the Press. The Social Nationalists forces captured more than one hundred rebels, at least a quarter of whom were from the United Arab Republic, and handed them over to the Government authorities. The Social Nationalists also captured large quantities of ammunitions and a number of automatic, machine and energa guns. All these spoils were displayed for the foreign correspondents who had visited Einab during the days of fighting. The Social Nationalists, on the other hand, lost twelve men, and an equal number were injured. It is remarkable that the Social Nationalists forces were comprised of Mohammedan, Christian and Druze elements all of whom fought side by side, for one and the same cause and under one and the same flag. It is the first time that such a miracle takes place In the Lebanon, the sectarian country, and in the whole Arab World.

It is worth noticing that “Voice of the Arabs” and the red radio stations in Damascus, Cairo and Beirut were announcing that the International Airport had fallen in the hands of the rebels at the very time those were being put to rout. This is another instance of the falsehoods of the rabble-rousing propaganda which had previously claimed that Ghassan Jedid, the Social Nationalist hero who was cold-bloodedly assassinated about sixteen months ago by an agent of the Deuxieme Bureau (Sarraj secret police), is at present leading battles in the Lebanon!. Our information is based upon truths and facts, while our enemies fight us with such lies, fabrications and deceptions. But our firm belief in the strength of right and the weakness of evil is our most powerful weapon in this battle.

The S.S.N.P. Headquarters

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