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Lebanon

Army says it will use force to stop fighting

Article published on the 2008-05-13 Latest update 2008-05-13 10:55 TU

Hezbollah supporters on a main road to Beirut's International airport, 7 May 2008. (Photo : Reuters)

Hezbollah supporters on a main road to Beirut's International airport, 7 May 2008.
(Photo : Reuters)

The Lebanese army says that it will use force to disarm gunmen and restore order across the country. The decision followed a week of clashes between supporters of the Western-backed government and the Hezbollah-led opposition. The fighting which has killed at least 61 people and left dozens wounded, is the worst sectarian unrest since the 1975-1990 civil war and has triggered fears that the country is heading for a new war.

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Heavy fighting erupted briefly overnight between Sunni-Muslims loyal to the government and pro-Hezbullah Alawites in the northern port city of Tripoli but by early Tuesday troops were reinforcing their presence in affected areas.

Several main highways remained blocked by Hezbullah-led Shia-Muslim protests, including the road to the Lebanon's only international airport outside Beirut, which is still shut.

RFI's correspondent Diane Galliot is in Beirut amongst the many foreigners and Lebanese with foreign passports trying to leave the country.

"No planes or boats, insufficient roads, the border opening and closing randomly due to gunfire, roads blocked and uncertain in the north. How is it possible to get out of Lebanon?" she said.

Fighting broke out last week after the Lebanese government, which is boycotted by the opposition, ordered the closure of a private phone network owned by Hezbollah.

The government also suspended Beirut airport's head of security over alleged ties to Hezbollah.

"The civil disobedience campaign will only end when Prime Minister Fuad Siniora officially rescinds his decisions and when his camp returns to the negotiating table," said an official with the Shia political movement Amal, which is a Hezbollah ally.

The latest unrest raises the stakes in an 18-month standoff between the ruling majority and the Syrian and Iranian-backed opposition. 

After foreign ministers held weekend crisis talks in Cairo, an Arab League delegation is due to visit Beirut on Wednesday in a bid to end the fighting.