Hezbollah piles pressure on Lebanese government

By Nadim Ladki

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Iranian-backed Hezbollah tightened its grip around Beirut airport on Thursday, the second day of a protest campaign against Lebanon's U.S.-backed government that has sparked gun battles in the city.

The airport, the country's sole aerial link to the outside world, faced closure and the national carrier Middle East Airlines suspended all departures for 12 hours until midday (10 a.m. British time) "to await positive developments".

Hezbollah supporters and fellow Shi'ite allies blocked all roads leading to the airport and several other main streets in the capital on Wednesday, prompting sporadic gun battles with pro-government loyalists and escalating the worst internal crisis since the 1975-90 civil war.

An opposition source said the protest campaign would continue until the government rescinded decisions affecting Hezbollah, including a move to take steps against a telecommunications network operated by the group. Government sources ruled that out.

Hezbollah, a Shi'ite Muslim group backed by Syria and Iran, has led a 17-month-long political campaign against Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's anti-Syrian cabinet. Friction has already led to bouts of lethal violence.

Wednesday's events quickly took a sectarian tone with clashes in mixed Shi'ite and Sunni neighbourhoods that left at least 10 people wounded. Scores of gunmen from both sides were seen in several areas.

Sunni Mufti Sheikh Mohammad Rachid Kabbani denounced the actions of "outlawed armed gangs" in Beirut and said Hezbollah had now transformed itself from a resistance movement to an armed force to occupy Beirut.

"The Sunni Muslims in Lebanon are fed up," he said in a televised address to the Lebanese. "I appeal to the leadership of Hezbollah from my national and religious position to take the initiative and withdraw the gunmen from Beirut."