Day of the Long Knives (Beirut)

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The Day of the Long Knives occurred in the coastal town Safra (north to Beirut) on July 7, 1980 during the Lebanese civil war, as part of Bashir Gemayel's effort to consolidate all the Christian fighters under his leadership in the Lebanese Forces.

The Phalangist forces launched a surprise attack on the Tigers, a 500-man militia that was the armed force of the National Liberal Party (Lebanon) of ex-Lebanese President Camille Chamoun. The Tigers were virtually wiped out, although the NLP survived as a political party. In general, the Tigers were more aggressive than the Phalangists, often initiating hostilities with the Muslim side.

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