By NNN-KUNA,
Beirut : The decline of armed presence in Beirut Saturday led the army to heavily deploy its troops in the Lebanese capital after two days of heavy clashes the worst since the 1975-1990 civil war.
A security source confirmed to KUNA that the opposition’s step to pull off its gunmen from the street Beirut.
Earlier on, opposition MP Hassan Khalil affirmed that the opposition would continued civil disobedience but would cease all forms of armed protest.
The army’s leadership called for the withdrawal of gunmen from the street, adding that government decisions regarding the airport’s security apparatus and the shut-down of Hezbollah’s communication network were now under the control of the military.
Lebanese army also decided to keep the head of the security at Beirut airport Brigadier Wafiq Shuqair in his post. The army revealed that the communication network issue would also be decided on in away which would not negatively affect public interest.
The army’s decision were execute after Prime Minister Fouad Al-Siniora announced a momentary solution to the crisis here through allowing the army to take action on the government’s decision against Hezbollah.
The parliament’s majority led by future bloc leader Saad Al-Hariri welcomed the Sioniora’s decision Lebanese Druze leader and pro-government Walid Jumblatt.
Political observers saw Siniora’s decision as an important development in the current crisis in Lebanon, adding that the army intervention in the matter is the first since clashes erupted last Wednesday.
The opposition took control of west Beirut yesterday after two days of clashes which led to the death and injured of several citizens.
On Friday, Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah demanded from the government to cancel its decision against his organization, calling for Siniora to accept Speaker Nabih Berri’s proposals for dialogue.
During his speech on Saturday, Siniora refused such a dialogue, saying that such meeting needed a neutral side and since Berri was part of the opposition then such event was out of the question.
Since the Presidential vacuum last November, Lebanon went into a political limbo despite the opposition and majority agreement on electing the army’s head General Michel Suleiman as President.
The point of conflict lie in the majority’s demand for electing Suleiman at once and the opposition calls for comprehensive plan to end the Presidential dispute.