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Lebanese violence reaches Tripoli Army move to end Tripoli violence
(about 1 hour later)
Fighting has been reported through the night in the Lebanese city of Tripoli between Hezbollah sympathisers and supporters of the government. Lebanese troops have deployed in the northern city of Tripoli to end fierce fighting between Hezbollah sympathisers and supporters of the government.
Machine-guns and rocket-propelled grenades are being used and people have been fleeing their homes, correspondents say. Thousands fled their homes as several people were reportedly killed in heavy exchanges of machine gun fire and rocket-propelled grenades.
Three people died in the northern city on Saturday. Meanwhile, an uneasy calm has descended on Beirut, after four days of running street battles left 38 people dead.
Meanwhile, an uneasy calm has descended on the capital, Beirut, scene of four days of bloody street battles. The clashes have triggered fears of a return to Lebanon's 15-year civil war.
More than 30 people died in those clashes between Hezbollah fighters and government supporters. On Saturday, Hezbollah agreed to pull its fighters off the streets of the Muslim western Beirut after the army overturned government measures aimed at curbing the group.
On Saturday, Hezbollah agreed to pull its fighters off the streets of the Muslim western part of the city after the army overturned government measures aimed at curbing the group. But many roads remain blocked, including the airport road, as the Iranian-backed Shia group continues its campaign of civil disobedience.
Arab foreign ministers are currently holding an emergency meeting on the crisis in the Egyptian capital Cairo.
Offices burntOffices burnt
Sunni supporters of the Western-backed government have been fighting members of an Alawite sect loyal to Hezbollah in Tripoli, an unnamed security official told AFP news agency. In Tripoli, Sunni supporters of the Western-backed government have reportedly been fighting members of an Alawite sect loyal to Hezbollah.
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About 7,000 people have fled from the city's Bab al-Tebbaneh district, which marks the front line, the official said. Fierce street battles raged overnight in northern Lebanon
Earlier, pro-government demonstrators burnt offices of the pro-Syrian Baath Party offices. About 7,000 people have fled from the city's Bab al-Tebbaneh district, which marks the front line, reports said.
They stamped on posters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Earlier, pro-government demonstrators burned the offices of the pro-Syrian Baath Party.
They could also be seen throwing furniture and files from the Baath offices and a local opposition politician's office, The Associated Press reports. They stamped on posters of Syrian President Bashar Assad and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
They could also be seen throwing furniture and files from the Baath offices and a local opposition politician's office.
Face-saving initiativeFace-saving initiative
The confrontation in Beirut eased off after the army offered a face-saving compromise that allowed the government to back down from two controversial decisions.The confrontation in Beirut eased off after the army offered a face-saving compromise that allowed the government to back down from two controversial decisions.
Hezbollah gunmen have been pulling back in Beirut class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7392013.stm">High stakes of Lebanon's crisis class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7392133.stm">In pictures: Battle for Beirut class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=4770&edition=1">Send us your comments
The government had moved to shut down Hezbollah's telecoms network and remove the chief of security at Beirut airport for alleged Hezbollah sympathies. The government had moved to shut down Hezbollah's telecoms network and remove the chief of security at Beirut airport for alleged sympathies with the guerrillas.
Those decisions triggered a devastating Hezbollah onslaught, the BBC's Jim Muir reports from Beirut The army has essentially shelved both measures after they triggered a devastating Hezbollah onslaught, the BBC's Jim Muir reports from Beirut.
The army has essentially shelved both of them.
Managing to retain its unity and the respect of both sides, the army has emerged as the arbiter in the current crisis, our correspondent says.Managing to retain its unity and the respect of both sides, the army has emerged as the arbiter in the current crisis, our correspondent says.
If all goes well, the army initiative should restore calm on the streets and see the international airport reopen.If all goes well, the army initiative should restore calm on the streets and see the international airport reopen.
While it does not address the fundamental political deadlock underlying the eruption of violence, it has created a problem-solving mechanism that may help movement in that direction.While it does not address the fundamental political deadlock underlying the eruption of violence, it has created a problem-solving mechanism that may help movement in that direction.
Our correspondent notes that all parties agree that the army commander, Gen Michel Suleiman, should be Lebanon's next president.Our correspondent notes that all parties agree that the army commander, Gen Michel Suleiman, should be Lebanon's next president.