Popular Nasserite Organization
Encyclopedia
The Popular Nasserist Organization – PNO (Arabic: التنظيم الشعبي الناصري | Al-Tanzim al-Sha’aby al-Nassery) or Organisation Populaire Nassérienne (OPN) in French
, is a Sidon
-based Nasserist party originally formed in 1973 by Maarouf Saad, a Sunni Pan-Arab politician and member of Parliament (MP) later killed by the Lebanese Army during a February 1975 dock strike held in that port city.
, the NLA was initially financed by Yasser Arafat
’s organization and Libya
, later replaced in the mid-1980s by the Sidon-born Saudi-Lebanese millionaire Rafic Hariri.
A small but disciplinated fighting force, the NLA comprised some 500-1000 uniformed Male and Female fighters organized into conventional 'Commando
', Infantry
, Signals, and Military Police
branches. It fielded a 'mechanized' corps provided with a single UR-416 armoured car seized from the Lebanese Forces
in 1985, plus 40 all-terrain vehicles (Land-Rover, Toyota Land Cruiser and GMC light pickups) fitted with heavy machine guns, recoilless rifles and anti-aircraft autocannons.
/al-Murabitun
, the PNO/NLA joined the Lebanese National Movement
in April 1975, playing a somewhat significant role in the siege of the Christian
coastal town of Damour
in January 1976, and later took part in the ‘Spring offensive’ held in March that year on the Mount Lebanon
region. Forced to go underground in June 1982 when the Israeli Defence Forces occupied Sidon, the PNO/NLA re-formed in the wake of the Israeli pull-out from southern Lebanon in March–April 1985, and fought alongside the Palestinians at the battles for Kfar-Fallus and Jezzine
against the Israeli-backed South Lebanese Army (SLA).
Simultaneously, they joined in a Syrian-backed coalition with the Druze
Progressive Socialist Party
(PSP) and the Shiite Amal Movement
, which defeated the Christian Lebanese Forces
(LF) attempts to establish bridgeheads at Damour and Sidon.
.
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, is a Sidon
Sidon
Sidon or Saïda is the third-largest city in Lebanon. It is located in the South Governorate of Lebanon, on the Mediterranean coast, about 40 km north of Tyre and 40 km south of the capital Beirut. In Genesis, Sidon is the son of Canaan the grandson of Noah...
-based Nasserist party originally formed in 1973 by Maarouf Saad, a Sunni Pan-Arab politician and member of Parliament (MP) later killed by the Lebanese Army during a February 1975 dock strike held in that port city.
Structure and organization
The PNO’s military wing, the National Liberation Army – NLA (Arabic: Jayish al-Tahrir al-Watani) or Armée de Liberation Nationale (ALN) was first raised in March 1975 at Sidon by Mustafa Saad, son of the late Maarouf. Trained and armed by FatahFatah
Fataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
, the NLA was initially financed by Yasser Arafat
Yasser Arafat
Mohammed Yasser Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini , popularly known as Yasser Arafat or by his kunya Abu Ammar , was a Palestinian leader and a Laureate of the Nobel Prize. He was Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization , President of the Palestinian National Authority...
’s organization and Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, later replaced in the mid-1980s by the Sidon-born Saudi-Lebanese millionaire Rafic Hariri.
A small but disciplinated fighting force, the NLA comprised some 500-1000 uniformed Male and Female fighters organized into conventional 'Commando
Commando
In English, the term commando means a specific kind of individual soldier or military unit. In contemporary usage, commando usually means elite light infantry and/or special operations forces units, specializing in amphibious landings, parachuting, rappelling and similar techniques, to conduct and...
', Infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
, Signals, and Military Police
Military police
Military police are police organisations connected with, or part of, the military of a state. The word can have different meanings in different countries, and may refer to:...
branches. It fielded a 'mechanized' corps provided with a single UR-416 armoured car seized from the Lebanese Forces
Lebanese Forces
The Lebanese Forces is a Lebanese political party. Founded as a militia by Bachir Gemayel during the Lebanese Civil War, the movement fought as the main militia within the Christian-dominated Lebanese Front...
in 1985, plus 40 all-terrain vehicles (Land-Rover, Toyota Land Cruiser and GMC light pickups) fitted with heavy machine guns, recoilless rifles and anti-aircraft autocannons.
The PNO in the Civil War: 1975-90
Closely allied with the INMINM
The initials INM may stand for:*Ireland's Independent News & Media*Mexico's Instituto Nacional de Migración*Quebec's Institut du nouveau monde*Spain's former Instituto Nacional de la Meteorología*Iraq's al-Iraqiyya National Movement...
/al-Murabitun
Al-Murabitun
The Independent Nasserite Movement or al-Murabitoun , also termed variously Mouvement des Nasséristes Indépendants ' in French, Independent Nasserite Organization , or Movement of Independent Nasserists, is a Nasserist political party in Lebanon.-Political...
, the PNO/NLA joined the Lebanese National Movement
Lebanese National Movement
The Lebanese National Movement or Mouvement National Libanais in French, was a front of parties and organizations active during the early years of the Lebanese Civil War...
in April 1975, playing a somewhat significant role in the siege of the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
coastal town of Damour
Damour
Damour is a Lebanese Christian town that is 24 kilometres south of Beirut. The name of the town is derived from the name of the Phoenician god Damoros who symbolized immortality ....
in January 1976, and later took part in the ‘Spring offensive’ held in March that year on the Mount Lebanon
Mount Lebanon
Mount Lebanon , as a geographic designation, is a Lebanese mountain range, averaging above 2,200 meters in height and receiving a substantial amount of precipitation, including snow, which averages around four meters deep. It extends across the whole country along about , parallel to the...
region. Forced to go underground in June 1982 when the Israeli Defence Forces occupied Sidon, the PNO/NLA re-formed in the wake of the Israeli pull-out from southern Lebanon in March–April 1985, and fought alongside the Palestinians at the battles for Kfar-Fallus and Jezzine
Jezzine
Jezzine is a town in Lebanon, located from Sidon and south of Beirut. Surrounded by mountain peaks, pine forests, and at an average altitude of 950 m , it is the main summer resort and tourist destination of South Lebanon...
against the Israeli-backed South Lebanese Army (SLA).
Simultaneously, they joined in a Syrian-backed coalition with the Druze
Druze
The Druze are an esoteric, monotheistic religious community, found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan, which emerged during the 11th century from Ismailism. The Druze have an eclectic set of beliefs that incorporate several elements from Abrahamic religions, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism...
Progressive Socialist Party
Progressive Socialist Party
The Progressive Socialist Party or PSP , also known as Parti Socialiste Progressiste in French, is a political party in Lebanon. Its current leader is Walid Jumblatt...
(PSP) and the Shiite Amal Movement
Amal Movement
Amal Movement is short for the Lebanese Resistance Detachments the acronym for which, in Arabic, is "amal", meaning "hope."Amal was founded in 1975 as the militia wing of the Movement of the Disinherited, a Shi'a political movement founded by Musa...
, which defeated the Christian Lebanese Forces
Lebanese Forces
The Lebanese Forces is a Lebanese political party. Founded as a militia by Bachir Gemayel during the Lebanese Civil War, the movement fought as the main militia within the Christian-dominated Lebanese Front...
(LF) attempts to establish bridgeheads at Damour and Sidon.
The post-war years
The party is led today by Osama Saad who is an MP in the Parliament and aligns with the opposition in the March 8 AllianceMarch 8 Alliance
The March 8 Alliance is a coalition of various political parties in Lebanon. It has been the ruling coalition since January 25, 2011 when the alliance managed to nominate Najib Mikati as the new prime minister.-History:...
.
See also
- Al-Murabitoun
- Damour massacreDamour massacreThe Damour massacre took place on January 20, 1976 during the 1975–1990 Lebanese Civil War. Damour, a Christian town on the main highway south of Beirut, was attacked by the Palestine Liberation Organisation units...
- NasserismNasserismNasserism is an Arab nationalist political ideology based on the thinking of the former Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser. It was a major influence on pan-Arab politics in the 1950s and 1960s, and continues to have significant resonance throughout the Arab World to this day. It also...
- Lebanese National MovementLebanese National MovementThe Lebanese National Movement or Mouvement National Libanais in French, was a front of parties and organizations active during the early years of the Lebanese Civil War...
- Lebanese Civil WarLebanese Civil WarThe Lebanese Civil War was a multifaceted civil war in Lebanon. The war lasted from 1975 to 1990 and resulted in an estimated 150,000 to 230,000 civilian fatalities. Another one million people were wounded, and today approximately 350,000 people remain displaced. There was also a mass exodus of...