The World : Neutrals Halt PLO Drive

Under a truce negotiated by Syrian military observers, neutral Sunni Muslim militiamen were deployed between warring Shia Muslims and Palestine Liberation Organization guerrillas in southern Lebanon. Gunfire continued to crackle, and police said two people were killed and 10 hurt in truce violations. PLO fighters launched an offensive Saturday against the Shia Muslims’ Amal militia, which has besieged a Palestinian refugee camp at Tyre. Deployment of the Sunni militiamen halted the PLO drive into Shia territory. Amal has been fighting to keep the PLO and Chairman Yasser Arafat from rebuilding a foothold in southern Lebanon, fearing the PLO would become an Israeli target. Israel drove out the PLO in a 1982 invasion.