Amal is a Shi'a Lebanese militia group with strong links to the Syrian army. Amal launched the "war of the camps" in May 1985 in an attempt to prevent Arafat supporters from regaining a power base in Lebanon. [ Keesing's Record of World Events, Volume XXXIV, December 1988, p. 36363.] Three Palestinian camps, Bourj al-Barajneh, Chatila, and Rashidiyeh, were placed under siege by Amal during the latter half of 1986. In April 1987, the arrival of the Syrian army resulted in the partial lifting of the siege, and women and children were allowed to leave the camps for supplies. [ Ibid.] Between April and July 1988, Arafat supporters were driven from Chatila and Rashidiyeh by members of the Fatah Revolutionary Council (Fatah al-Intifadeh), and in July, the last of the pro-Arafat fighters from Bourj al-Barajneh were removed to Sidon.

During the "war of the camps", Amal militiamen arrested hundreds of Palestinian combatants and supporters from the camps, and Palestinian students from Beirut. [ Amnesty International Report 1986, p. 343.] Detailed allegations of ill-treatment and torture of "war of the camps" detainees held by Amal have been reported. [ Amnesty International Report 1986, p. 343.] Allegations of summary executions of Palestinians held by Amal militia have also been reported. [ Ibid., p. 346.] Amnesty International reports that many pro-Arafat members of the PLO had been handed over to the Syrian authorities in 1986, and were detained without charge in Damascus. [ Ibid.] In February 1987, more Palestinian and Lebanese detainees were reportedly handed over to the Syrian army by Amal, [ Amnesty International Report 1988, p. 253. In this report, Amnesty International states that the fate and whereabouts of many of the detainees was unknown at the end of 1987.] and placed in detention centres in Lebanon and in Syria. [ Amnesty International, Syria, Torture by the Security Forces, (London: Amnesty International Publications, October 1987).]

Please see the attached articles for more details on the allegations of mistreatment of Palestinians by the Amal militia.
1) Amnesty International. Amnesty International Report 1988; 1987; 1986. London: Amnesty International Publications.
2) Keesing's Record of World Events, Essex: Longman Group.
Volume XXXIII, (March 1987), (August 1987); Volume XXXIV, (December 1988).
3) Henry Degenhardt, ed. Revolutionary and Dissident Movements, Essex: Longman, 1988.