During the Mountain War in early September 1983, 7th Brigade's units were deployed at Achrafieh and Hadath in Beirut, and at Dahr al-Wahsh facing Aley in the Chouf District southeast of the Lebanese Capital, where they faced the offensive of the main anti-government Druze militia, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP). Close to the end of the battle for Souk El Gharb on September 24, Gen. al-Hakim fled into PSP/PLA-held territory but he would not admit he had actually defected. The Brigade's 72nd battalion positioned at Dahr al-Wahsh was driven out from the Chouf by the Druze PSP/PLA militia and forced to withdraw to East Beirut in February 1984. That same month, the Brigade's predominately Shia Muslim 97th Battalion deserted "en bloc" to the Shi'ite 6th Infantry Brigade and the Amal Movement militia.