பெய்ரூட்:ஹிஸ்பொல்லா என்ற ஷியா அமைப்பு சுன்னிகளை கொன்று குவித்துள்ளது.

பெய்ரூட்:ஹிஸ்பொல்லா என்ற ஷியா அமைப்பு சுன்னிகளை கொன்று குவித்துள்ளது. ஏராளமான பொதுமக்களாக இருக்கும் சுன்னி முஸ்லீம்கள் கொல்லப்பட்டுள்ளனர். சுன்னிகள் வசிக்கும் பகுதிகள் ஷியாக்களின் வசம் வந்துள்ளன.


Lebanon: Hizbollah forces MPs out of capital
By Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent
Last Updated: 9:06PM BST 09/05/2008

Hizbollah swept through major areas of Beirut in an overnight push that resulted in the deaths of 11 and forced Lebanese MPs out of the capital.
9 May 08: At least five people have been killed on the streets of Beirut in a second day of gun battles. ; http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1488655367/bctid1545096572 http://www.brightcove.com/channel.jsp?channel=1139053637

The Shia group seized control of large areas of Beirut’s Sunni Muslim districts, which are loyal to the US-backed government on Friday.


The pro-Western leadership was effectively besieged with top leaders Saad Hariri of the Sunnis and Walid Jumblatt of the Druse sect surrounded in their compounds in Muslim western Beirut.

Many MPs were forced to convene an emergency outside the capital.

The fighting left the country’s army on the brink of potentially decisive split.

Its command is refusing to confront the more powerful, Iranian backed Hizbollah militia but is said to be ready to defend Prime Minister Fuad Saniora, who was holed up at his office in downtown Beirut.


The most vivid demonstration of Hizbollah’s power, a television station of Mr Hariri’s Future Movement was forced off the air.


The offices of the affiliated al-Mustaqbal newspaper in the coastal neighbourhood of Ramlet el-Bayda were also set ablaze by gunmen and white smoke could be seen billowing from the building. The army subsequently took over the area and firefighters extinguished the blaze.


Lebanese troops evacuated the staff of the TV station after gunmen massed near the station and “asked through the army to close down or it will be destroyed.”


But the army has largely avoided getting involved in the street battles, preferring to remain above the political fray for fear of being dragged into the conflict. The institution could break up on sectarian lines if it takes on the powerful Hizbollah, which survived a war with Israel in 2006.


About 100 Hizbollah gunmen in camouflage, baseball caps and black flak jackets marched down the Muslim sector’s main commercial Hamra Street and took up position, stopping the few cars braving the empty streets and checked their trunks.


Dozens of fighters from the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, a Hizbollah ally, also appeared in the streets off Hamra, some masked and carrying rocket-propelled grenade launchers.


The violence shut down Lebanon’s international airport for a third day and barricades closed major highways. Hizbollah first blocked roads in Beirut on Wednesday to enforce a strike called by labour unions, but confrontations quickly spread across the city.


Beirut’s seaport was closed Friday “until further notice” because of the situation, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported.


Hizbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah declared the movement’s readiness for war on Thursday, warning the government it had crossed a line by threatening its control of the air and demanding the closure of its telephone network. He said: “Those who shoot at us, we will shoot at them.”


Mr Hariri, son of murdered prime minister Rafik Harriri had unsuccessfully appealed to Mr Nasrallah for a compromise. “Stop the slide toward civil war,” he said. “Stop the language of arms and lawlessness.”