From 1975 to 1990 , groups in competing alliances with neighboring countries fought against each other in the Lebanese Civil War . Infighting and massacres between these groups claimed several thousand victims . Examples : the Syrian-backed Karantina massacre ( January 1976 ) by the Kataeb and its allies against Kurds , Syrians and Palestinians in the predominantly Muslim slum district of Beirut ; Damour ( January 1976 ) by the PLO against Christian Maronites , including the family and fiancée of the Lebanese Forces intelligence chief Elie Hobeika ; and Tel al-Zaatar ( August 1976 ) by Phalangists and their allies against Palestinian refugees living in a camp administered by UNRWA . The total death toll in Lebanon for the whole civil war period was around 150,000 victims
Karantina massacre
Karantina massacre
Sabra and Shatila massacre