CHRONOLOGY - Hezbollah's showdown with Lebanese government

(Reuters) - Hezbollah fighters began withdrawing from Beirut on Saturday after the Lebanese army overturned government measures against the group.

The Iranian-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah had taken control of the Muslim half of Beirut on Friday, tightening its grip on the city in a major blow to the U.S.-backed government.

Here is a chronology of events since its deadlock with the pro-Western government began 18 months ago:

November 11, 2006 - Five pro-Syrian Shi'ite Muslim ministers from Hezbollah and its ally, the Amal movement, resign after the collapse of talks on giving their camp more say in government.

November 21 - Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel is killed by gunmen.

December 1 - Hezbollah, Amal and supporters of Christian leader Michel Aoun camp outside Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's office in Beirut in a campaign to topple the government.

June 13, 2007 - Anti-Syrian parliamentarian Walid Eido and five other people are killed by a car bomb near a Beirut beach club.

September 2 - Lebanese troops seize control of Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp after months of fighting with Fatah al-Islam militants in which more than 420 people are killed, including 168 soldiers.

September 19 - A car bomb in Beirut kills anti-Syrian Christian lawmaker Antoine Ghanem and six other people.