Government advises against travel to Lebanon

LONDON (Reuters) - The government on Friday advised against all travel to Lebanon where Iranian-backed group Hezbollah took control of the Muslim half of Beirut on Friday.

Security sources said at least 11 people had been killed and 30 wounded in three days of battles between pro-government gunmen and fighters loyal to Hezbollah, a Shi'ite political movement with a powerful guerrilla army.

"We now advise against all travel to Lebanon," the Foreign Office said in a statement.

"If you are currently in Lebanon you should exercise particular vigilance at this time and wherever possible avoid areas where there has been fighting in recent days.

The Foreign Office said Beirut International Airport was inaccessible and the road to Damascus had been blocked at frequent intervals in the past two days. Roads to Syria were also subject to closure.

But it noted that the road north via Tripoli and the northern crossings at Arida and Aboudieh remained open.

(Reporting by Jeremy Lovell)