BEIRUT, MAY 10:Hezbollah on Saturday began withdrawing gunmen from Beirut and handed control of the streets to the Lebanese army, after seizing much of the city in gunbattles with supporters of the US-backed government.

Hezbollah, a political group backed by Iran and Syria with a guerrilla army, said it was ending its armed presence in Beirut after the army overturned government measures against it.

Hezbollah took over much of Beirut on Friday routing gunmen loyal to the anti-Damascus governing coalition. The army is seen as a neutral player in the crisis.

Four days of fighting which killed 37 people erupted after the government said it was taking action against Hezbollah’s military communications network and sacked the head of security at Beirut airport, who is close to the group.

It was the worst internal fighting since Lebanon’s 1975-90 civil war. Hezbollah said the government had declared war by moving against the communications network, which played a crucial role in its 34-day war with Israel in 2006.

The Hezbollah-led opposition said it would maintain a “civil disobedience” campaign until its demands were met. Lebanon has been in political deadlock for 18 months over opposition demands for a greater say in government.

Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, whose legitimacy is disputed by the opposition, on Saturday handed responsibility for the moves against Hezbollah to the army, which has sought to avoid conflict with either side.

The army overturned them, saying it would handle the issue of the communications network in a way “that would not harm public interest and the security of the resistance”.

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