By Xinhua,
Beirut : The death toll in Beirut riots rose to 18 as relative calm prevails across Lebanon on Saturday.
Street gun battles between government supporters and opponents, which began on Wednesday, killed at least 18 people and wounded over 50 others, according to security sources.
Lebanese army deployed in most areas in Beirut following Shiite militant group Hezbollah took control of key parts in the capital on Friday, local As Safir daily quoted the sources as saying.
An Nahar daily said that sporadic clashes took place Friday night outside Beirut, mainly in Sidon, Iklim Karroub and mountain areas.
But reports on Saturday morning said most areas are calm.
“Hezbollah does not intend a permanent takeover of Sunni parts in Beirut,” a pro-Hezbollah source said.
The bloody clashes erupted Wednesday after the Lebanese cabinet decided Tuesday to cease the private communication network of Hezbollah, and to remove airport security chief Gen. Wafik Shqaierfor alleged links to Hezbollah.
Hezbollah considered such decisions as “a declaration of war against the resistance.”
Lebanon is currently facing the most serious political deadlock since the end of the 1975-1990 civil war. For the first time in its history, the presidential seat has been vacant since Nov. 24 of 2007 when former President Emile Lahoud stepped down.
The presidency deadlock deepened the Lebanese political crisis as fears are mounting that failure in reaching a deal on the presidential candidate could result in more violence in the country.