Sunday, April 13, at 10:10 PM*

(Paris time)

Directed by Sophie Guignon and Chloé Domat

Format: 17 minutes

It was 50 years ago that the Lebanese civil war broke out, destabilising permanently the country and the entire region – right up to the present day. On April 13, 1975, clashes between Christian and pro-Palestinian militias began to degenerate into a full-scale war involving Syria, Israel, Iran, and the Western forces, including the US and France.

The war that officially ended with the Taif Agreement in 1989 left over 150 thousand people dead, and hundreds of thousands wounded or missing. However, a general amnesty law, passed by former militia leaders turned politicians, has prevented any form of legal prosecution or reparation.

50 years on, Lebanon is again struck by violence. Following the terrorist attacks by Hamas on Israel in October 2023, another war broke out between Hezbollah and Israel – reopening the wounds of the past.

France 24 journalists Sophie Guignon and Chloé Domat went to Lebanon to meet a group of veterans striving to raise awareness amongst the youth and prevent the country from being torn apart again.

‘Lebanon Civil War Revisited’, a report broadcast on France 24’s four channels (in English, French, Arabic, and Spanish), YouTube, france24.com, and social media platforms.