LEBANON: Opposition lifts roadblocks across Lebanon

Lebanon's opposition suspends general strike and begins lifting roadblocks. Lebanon's opposition began removing roadblocks across the country on Tuesday (January 23) night, after suspending a general strike and halting protests aimed at toppling the government, a senior opposition source said. "All roads in various areas, including that leading to the airport, will be reopened shortly," the source said. He had said that the move was agreed by various opposition forces, including Hezbollah, after a day of clashes. Protesters bent on toppling Lebanon's cabinet blocked roads with blazing tyres on Tuesday, sparking clashes with government loyalists in which police said three people were killed and 133 people hurt. The violence raised the stakes in a campaign by Iranian- and Syrian-backed Hezbollah and its Shi'ite and Christian allies to oust Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's Western-supported government. Siniora, a Sunni Muslim, vowed to stand firm. The campaign has raised tension between Sunnis andShi'ites in Lebanon, still recovering from a 1975-90 civil war.

ITN Source | January 24, 2007

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