At least 3 killed as protests paralyze Lebanon

updated 6:24 p.m. ET Jan. 23, 2007

BEIRUT, Lebanon - Hezbollah-led protesters burned tires and cars and clashed with government supporters Tuesday, paralyzing Beirut and areas across Lebanon in the worst violence yet in the pro-Iranian group’s campaign to topple U.S.-backed Prime Minister Fuad Saniora.

At least three people were killed and dozens injured as the two camps battled each other around street barricades with stone-throwing and in some cases gunfire. Black smoke poured into the sky over Beirut from burning roadblocks.

The fighting quickly took on a dangerous sectarian tone in a country whose divided communities fought a bloody 1975-1990 civil war. Gunmen from neighboring districts in the northern city of Tripoli — one largely Sunni Muslim, the other largely Alawites, a Shiite Muslim offshoot — fought each other, causing two of the fatalities.

The day gave a frightening glimpse of how quickly the confrontation between Saniora’s government and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah and its allies could spiral out of control, enflame tensions among Sunnis, Shiites and Christians, and throw Lebanon into deeper turmoil.

In the evening, the opposition announced it would call off the roadblocks and the nationwide general strike that sparked the unrest, saying it had delivered a warning to the government. But it threatened more protests.

Opposition supporters began withdrawing from their street blockades, leaving behind burning tires, concrete blocks and debris. At one abandoned roadblock in the north of Beirut, a fire engine extinguished the burning tires.

More action threatened
Suleiman Franjieh, a Christian opposition leader, told Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV the next steps “will be nothing compared to what we saw today” if the government does not respond to the opposition’s demands.

FREE VIDEO Fiery clashes Jan. 23: Hezbollah-led protesters block roads and clash with police in Lebanon in efforts to topple the government. MSNBC.com's Kevin Flynn reports. msnbc.com

The Hezbollah-led opposition is growing increasingly frustrated after two months of sit-in protests outside Saniora’s offices in downtown Beirut failed to force him to step down or form a new government giving the opposition more power.

Saniora vowed not to give in, saying in a televised address: “We will stand together against intimidation and to confront sedition.”

But he repeated his willingness to discuss a political solution to the impasse and called for a special session of Parliament.

Donor conference in Paris
The violence called into question whether Saniora will be able to attend a conference of donor nations in Paris on Thursday aimed at raising billions in aid for rebuilding after the devastation wreaked on Lebanon by last summer’s Israel-Hezbollah war.

But the government said that Saniora still intends to travel to the Paris meeting but would not say when he’s leaving.

Cabinet Minister Ahmed Fatfat told Lebanon’s New TV that the economy and finance ministers already were in Paris.

The money could boost the Saniora government. But months of political crisis have slowed the reconstruction effort, paralyzing the government — and if the chaos grows it could mean any new money won’t be properly used.

MORE FROM MIDEAST & N. AFRICA

Mideast & N. Africa Section Front

Obama will meet Netanyahu at White House Iran lawmakers stand firm against U.N. plan Saudis bombing us, Yemen rebels say Paper: Iran tested advanced nuke warhead Palestinian leader’s move reflects frustration Mideast & N. Africa Section Front   Add Mideast & N. Africa headlines to your news reader: