Following the assassination of Lebanese President by oppositional factions, the Israeli army occupied Beirut, and allowed the Lebanese Forces (LF) to enter the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps, where the LF carried out a massacre of mostly Palestinians and Lebanese Shiites. Between 1,390 and 3,500 civilians were massacred. It sparked international outrage for Israel's actions, particularly because the PLO had already been removed from Lebanon. The Kahan Commission by the Israeli government found Defense Minister Ariel Sharon personally responsible for the bloodshed. The incident led to his resignation as Defense Minister, however he remained in the Israeli Cabinet and would later become Israeli Prime Minister in 2001.