unidentified assailants shot and wounded Abdel Halim Khaddam, the Syrian Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, near Damascus today, the official Syrian press agency reported.
He was said to be in good condition in a hospital with an arm wound.
The assailants opened up with machine gun fire at Mr. Khaddam’s automobile as he drove along a road on the western edge of Damascus leading west to Beirut, the agency said. His wife was beside him, but there was no word on her condition.
The press agency said Mr. Khaddam had been given prompt hospital treatment and tint his life was “not in danger.” It added that security officials had begun an investigation. No arrests were reported.
Security detachments set up roadblocks on the Boirul‐Damascus higInray and searched cars. There were no unusual security measures in Damascus, where residents were celebrating the first day of the Moslem feast of Id al‐Adha.
Mr. Khaddam headed a threemember Syrian team that attemoted to put into effect a Syrianproposed formula for end. in the civil war in neighboring Lebanon His efforts led to the sending of Syrian intervention forces to Lebanon.
The Foreign Minister toured Arab capitals last week to explain Syria’s moves in Lebanon and the change of the Syrian intervention forces into an Arab League peacekeeping force.
