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Hizbollah in control of most of Beirut

— Photo: AFP

Seeking safety: A family flees a neighourhood in west Beirut on Friday.

DUBAI: After night-long gun battles, Lebanese militant group Hizbollah has taken over most of west Beirut and forced a shutdown of pro-government media outlets.

Hizbollah fighters also besieged the offices of Future Television, run by Saad Hariri, the leader of the powerful Sunni faction supporting the pro-West government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. The premises of Mr. Hariri’s Al Mustaqbal newspaper were surrounded and partially burnt. The Hizbollah’s moves prompted intervention by the Lebanese military.

Mr. Hariri’s media outlets decided to shut down apparently after a compromise was reached following the military’s involvement. After an increase in fighting, relative calm had been restored in most parts of the city.

The Hizbollah decided to assert itself after the government declared that its private telecommunication network would be shut down. The militant group was also accused of positioning cameras at Beirut’s international airport to monitor flight movement.

In response, Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said on Thursday that the “decisions [of the government] are tantamount to a declaration of war and the start of a war... on behalf of the United States and Israel.” He added that “the hand that touches the weapons of the resistance will be cut off.” Hizbollah leaders say the group’s secure telecommunication network played a vital role in the successful war against Israel in July 2006.

On Friday, a rocket propelled grenade hit the outer wall of the well-guarded residence of Mr. Hariri. Many offices of Mr. Hariri’s Future Movement in West and Central Beirut were burnt during the fighting, which left 11 persons dead and several others wounded. Most of west Beirut has been dominated by Sunnis. South Beirut, southern Lebanon and the eastern Beqaa valley are Hizbollah strongholds.

Analysts say the fighting mirrors the hostility between the West, which supports the government, and Iran, which backs the Hizbollah along with Syria. Saudi Arabia is also a major player because of its strong ties with the wealthy Sunni community.

The fighting has hit normal flight operations at Beirut international airport for a third successive day. The city’s port also remains shut down. Several tourists and foreign nationals have begun to flee Lebanon.

Alarmed by the situation, the U.N. Security Council has urged the rival parties to stop fighting.

Saudi Arabia, which backs the Siniora government, called for an urgent meeting of Arab Foreign Ministers. Iran has cited “U.S.-Israeli adventurism” as the main cause for the prolonged crisis and instability in Lebanon.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said on Friday that the political crisis in Lebanon was an “internal matter” and called for its resolution through dialogue.

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