Hezbollah routed Sunnis loyal to the US-allied government and seized control of large swaths of Beirut's Muslim sector Friday in a telling demonstration of its military prowess.

Fighting spreads in Lebanon - 10 / 05 / 2008 08:20

Lebanon's governing coalition has described Hezbollah's takeover of west Beirut as an "armed coup" aimed at bringing Syria back into the country and serving Iran's interests, amid signs that the fighting is spreading outside the country's capital.

The March 14 coalition said in a statement read out on Friday by Samir Geagea, leader of Lebanese Forces, a pro-government party: "The armed and bloody coup which is being implemented aims to return Syria to Lebanon and extend Iran's reach to the Mediterranean."

From Washington, Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, reaffirmed backing for Fouad Siniora, the Lebanese prime minister, and said the US would "provide the support needed" to help him deal with Hezbollah's actions.

The reactions came after Hezbollah and its Amal allies - both mainly Shia groups - took over Beirut's Muslim sector, including almost every position and strategic building held by supporters of the March 14 coalition.

By evening, clashes were reported from the southern city of Sidon and Hezbollah fighters were in control of Beirut's main Al-Hamra shopping street.

Hezbollah took control of all roads leading to Beirut's international airport, Lebanon's only air link to the outside world.

According to Elie Zakhour, a port official, Beirut's sea port was also shut down "until further notice" because of the situation, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported.

Government forces began taking up positions in some neighbourhoods in west Beirut abandoned by the pro-government groups.

An opposition official said the roadblocks placed by its supporters would not be lifted until the government rescinded its measures against Hezbollah and sat down for a national dialogue.

Street battles, which first erupted in Lebanon on Wednesday, have now left at least 12 people dead and more than 20 others wounded.

 Tension between the government and Hezbollah sharply escalated when the cabinet said the group's private phone network was illegal and an attack on the country's sovereignty.

Hezbollah said it was infuriated by government allegations it was spying on Beirut airport and by the cabinet's decision to fire the head of airport security.

Geagea called on the moderate forces in the Arab world to intervene to pressure Hezbollah to reverse its coup, and the international community not to stand still. He also reiterated the March 14 coalition's support for the Siniora government.

Geagea's condemnation of Hezbollah's actions was preceded by a statement from Amin Gemayel, leader of another government ally, the Kataeb, a mainly Maronite Christian party.

 Gemayel urged Christians to stay away from the fighting and accused Hezbollah of staging a coup. From the other side of the political spectrum, Michel Aoun, a Christian leader allied with Hezbollah, said that normality should be restored on the streets.

"The derailed carriage is now back on track. We hope from this point that things will fall back into the normal course [of events]," he said on Friday.

Aoun said he had sent a letter to Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general, and various member states of the UN Security Council, but "did not find a clear response to avert the crisis".

On the diplomatic front, Saudi Arabia and Egypt have called for an urgent meeting of Arab foreign ministers to try to halt the violence.

Al Jazeera