Another example of 'Arab Unity'.
Five killed in Beirut gun battles
At least five people have been killed in fierce fighting between
sup****ters
of Lebanon's government and the opposition in Beirut, officials say.
Television showed gunmen firing rifles and rocket-propelled grenades in
central and southern areas of the city.
The fighting began after the leader of Hezbollah described the
government's
move to close its telecommunications network as a "declaration of war".
Hassan Nasrallah vowed to "cut off the hand" that attempted to dismantle
it.
Earlier, the Lebanese army command warned its unity was at risk if the
ongoing political crisis and civil unrest in Beirut continued.
In recent years, it has been seen as one of Lebanon's most neutral
institutions, but correspondents say clashes between rival factions could
draw it into the conflict.
'Siege'
For most of Thursday there was a tense stand-off in the sensitive areas of
central and south Beirut, where Sunni and ****a communities overlap and
where
gun battles had broken out the previous day.
But shortly after the televised speech by Sheikh Nasrallah ended, the
sound
of heavy gunfire and explosions could be heard echoing through the streets
of the capital.
Gunfire on the streets of Beirut
The fighting was still going on long after nightfall in the districts of
Corniche al-Mazraa and Ras al-Nabaa, where a mother and son were killed
when
a rocket-propelled grenade hit their apartment and another man was shot
dead, officials told the Associated Press.
A member of the parliament's security force was also killed near the
residence of the ****a speaker, Amal leader Nabih Berri, during clashes
nearby, officials said.
A woman was also killed by a stray bullet in the southern suburb of Haret
Hreik, a Hezbollah stronghold, following Sheikh Nasrallah's speech, they
added.
Hezbollah fighters and their allies re****tedly tried during the clashes to
take over buildings in which there are offices of the Sunni Future
movement
led by Saad Hariri, the leader of the pro-Western parliamentary
majority.................................
Full article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7390943.stm
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