Death toll in Beirut riots rises to 18

BEIRUT, May 10 (Xinhua) -- 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.

BEIRUT, May 8 (Xinhua) -- At least eight people were killed and 40 wounded during three days of sectarian fighting in Beirut, Lebanese security sources said on Friday.

The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Xinhua that among the 40 injured, two were badly injured and their lives could suffer menace. Full story

UNITED NATIONS, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council urged Lebanese parties on Thursday to exercise "calm and restraint" following the latest wave of violence.

The council members expressed deep concern about the "current clashes and unrest in Lebanon, including the blocking of major roads and Beirut international airport," said a statement read out by Britain's UN ambassador John Sawers, the 15-member council's president. Full story

WASHINGTON, May 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Friday that the United States will continue supporting Lebanon's government led by Prime Minister Fuad Siniorato battle against opposition Hezbollah.

In her statement read at a State Department briefing, Rice accused Hezbollah of "seeking to protect their state-within-a-state." Full story

WASHINGTON, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The United States said on Thursday that Lebanon's Hezbollah must stop its "disruptive activities" as the Shiite militant group is having conflicts with the government troops.

"Hezbollah needs to make a choice: Be a terrorist organization or be a political party, but quit trying to be both. They need to stop their disruptive activities now," U.S. National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said. Full story

BEIRUT, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia and Kuwait on Friday began evacuating their nationals from Lebanon, where riots sweeping the country have left at least eight dead over the past three days , local New TV reported.

Kuwaiti Embassy in Lebanon evacuated the first batch of Kuwaiti nationals residing or studying in troubled Lebanon by land to neighboring Syria on Friday, said the report.