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Lebanon army moves to end crisis Lebanon army moves to end crisis
(40 minutes later)
Lebanon's army has overturned two key government measures in an attempt to defuse tensions between the pro-western government and Shia group Hezbollah.Lebanon's army has overturned two key government measures in an attempt to defuse tensions between the pro-western government and Shia group Hezbollah.
The army said the Hezbollah-allied head of security at Beirut airport should remain in his post and the group's phone network be maintained.The army said the Hezbollah-allied head of security at Beirut airport should remain in his post and the group's phone network be maintained.
A row over these two issues sparked this weeks's violence in which at least 24 people have died. A row over the two issues sparked this weeks's violence in which at least 24 people have died.
The army also called on all groups to withdraw gunmen from Beirut's streets.The army also called on all groups to withdraw gunmen from Beirut's streets.
Earlier, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora had called on the army to restore law and order, saying the country would not fall to Hezbollah after four days of street battles which saw the Shia movement push supporters of the government from western Beirut. The army statement came amid renewed violence in the north of the country in which at least 10 militants died.
Funeral shootings
With Lebanon's army perceived as the country's only neutral arbiter, if its announcement does not succeed in defusing the current crisis, nothing else will, says the BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut.
High stakes of Lebanon's crisisIn pictures: Battle for Beirut
Earlier, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora called on the army to restore law and order, saying the country would not fall to Hezbollah after four days of street battles which saw the Shia movement drive supporters of the government out of western Beirut.
"Your state will not fall under the control of the coup implementers," he said."Your state will not fall under the control of the coup implementers," he said.
In his first response to Hezbollah's de facto takeover of the west of the capital, Mr Siniora said his government would never declare war against the Shia group.In his first response to Hezbollah's de facto takeover of the west of the capital, Mr Siniora said his government would never declare war against the Shia group.
At least two people were killed after gunfire broke out during a funeral in a Sunni area of Beirut, and clashes in northern Lebanon killed 10 more. Also on Saturday, at least two people were killed after gunfire broke out during a funeral in a Sunni area of Beirut when unidentified gunmen targeted the funeral procession of a Sunni civilian killed during clashes on Friday.
The unrest has sparked memories of Lebanon's bitter, 15-year civil war. The spiral of unrest has sparked memories of Lebanon's bitter, 15-year civil war.
Leaders of Lebanon's rival political factions are due to meet later on Saturday and the Arab League will hold talks about the crisis on Sunday.
TV station closed
Hezbollah militants had earlier withdrawn from the streets of Beirut having crushed resistance by Sunni gunmen loyal to Mr Siniora's government.
In the areas of Beirut worst affected by battles between Hezbollah and pro-government loyalists, barricades that had been set up were abandoned early on Saturday, our correspondent says.
But the TV station run by Sunni leader Saad Hariri is still off the air after gunmen forced its closure on Friday, our correspondent adds.
In northern Lebanon, at least 10 gunmen were killed when pro-government activists stormed the office of a Hezbollah-allied party in northern Lebanon, reports said.
Gunmen loyal to Mr Hariri set ablaze the office of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party in the village of Halba, after the gun battle.
Lebanon was plunged into civil war from 1975-90, drawing in Syria and Israel, the two regional powers.
Analysts say the key to avoiding such a conflict this time may be the neutrality of the army, and its ability to withstand the sectarian tensions.
The latest violence amounts to a humiliating blow to the government, which appears to have badly overplayed its hand in moving to close Hezbollah's telecoms network on Tuesday, our correspondent says.