The Barbara checkpoint was a notorious checkpoint held by the Christian Lebanese Forces militia during the Lebanese Civil War. The checkpoint oversaw the crossing from Lebanese territory occupied by the Syrian Armed Forces and its allied local militias and territory under the authority of the Lebanese government.
History
editThe checkpoint was established on April 22, 1979, after the Chmout massacre in which thirteen Kataeb party supporters were killed by the pro-Syrian Zgharta Liberation Army. It was held by the Kataeb until the Lebanese Forces took over.[1]
Lebanese Forces commander in the North of the country, Samir Geagea, was responsible for monitoring the checkpoint with his battalion numbering more than one-thousand men. In March 1985, Lebanese President Amin Gemayel would order the dismantlement of the checkpoint in an attempt of appeasing Damascus. Geagea, being staunchly anti-Syrian would refuse leading to his expulsion from the Kataeb party which gave way to the Lebanese Forces coup of 1985.[2]
The checkpoint would continue existing until after the end of the war when it finally was dismantled in February 1991.