Lebanese army begins drive to restore order

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon's army stepped up patrols onTuesday as part of a drive to restore order after a week offighting between Hezbollah fighters and pro-government gunmen.

Hezbollah, the Shi'ite Muslim movement backed by Iran andSyria, and its opposition allies have routed supporters of theSunni-led government in Beirut and hills to the east infighting that has pushed Lebanon to the brink of a new civilwar.

Wary of fragmenting its own ranks, the army has stayedneutral in the conflict, which has killed 81 people, wounded250 and raised Arab and international concern over Lebanon'sfuture.

Police said 62 dead had been registered, but sources saidthey recognised the actual figure was likely to be higher.

Overall, Lebanon was experiencing its calmest day sinceviolence flared on May 7 after Prime Minister Fouad Sinioraoutlawed Hezbollah's communications network and fired Beirutairport's security chief, who is close to the Shi'ite group.

Hezbollah said this was a declaration of war and swiftlytook over much of Beirut, crushing pro-government Sunni Muslimgunmen. It then handed over its gains to the army.

The army command announced on Monday night it would work toend all armed presence in cities and villages from 6 a.m. (4a.m. British time) and authorised troops to use force ifnecessary.

It gave no further details but a security source said thearmy's orders were to arrest gunmen on the streets, take overarmed positions and seize suspected arms depots.

The initiative was not seen as a challenge to Hezbollah andmay have been coordinated with the group, which perhaps has aninterest in showing the army in control before Arab mediatorsarrive in Beirut on Wednesday, political analysts said.

TRUCE HOLDS IN MOUNTAINS

Troops took over more positions held by Druze forces loyalto pro-government leader Walid Jumblatt, whose mountain fiefdomeast of Beirut was attacked by Hezbollah on Sunday.

"The security situation in the mountain is stable after thearmy move," said Akram Shuhayeb, a lawmaker and Jumblatt aide.

But in the hill resort town of Aley, a grocer named WassimTimani, who is loyal to Jumblatt, was not so sure.

"The army's presence here is only for show. It won't beable to do anything if the truce is violated," he told Reuters."We have shown it all respect but we will not hand over ourguns."

The army also expanded its presence in the northern city ofTripoli, where small-scale clashes continued overnight betweenSunni gunmen and Alawites allied to Hezbollah.

Even if the army manages to halt all fighting, it has noplans to remove street barricades set up by the Hezbollah-ledopposition to keep Beirut port and airport shut and ratchet uppressure on the government to bow to its political demands.

Hezbollah's success so far has sapped the credibility ofthe Siniora government and its main patron, the United States,which has cast Lebanon as a fragile democracy endangered by theambitions of Hezbollah and its Iranian and Syrian backers.

U.S. President George W. Bush said in a statement on Mondayhe would consult regional allies during his visit to the MiddleEast this week on ways to bolster Lebanon.

"It is critical that the international community cometogether to assist the Lebanese people in their hour of need,"he said, adding that the United States would continue to aidthe Lebanese military so it can defend the government.

No one in Lebanon believes the army has the ability ordesire to tackle Hezbollah or to side decisively with theU.S.-backed government in a society whose Sunni, Shi'ite andChristian components are split evenly between the two sides.

Bush will travel to Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt,starting on Wednesday, and plans to meet Siniora in Egypt onSunday.

In New York, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the UnitedStates and its main European and Arab allies condemned theviolence in Lebanon and urged all parties to end the fighting.

"We remain deeply concerned by the situation in Lebanon,which threatens the stability of the country and the region,"the "Friends of Lebanon" said in a statement.

Western and Saudi support for the government has so fardone nothing to deter Hezbollah from exposing the militaryweakness of its foes, such as Jumblatt and Sunni leader Saadal-Hariri.

The government has for 18 months resisted oppositiondemands for veto rights in cabinet, though Hezbollah has nowshown it has the military muscle to block decisions it dislikesanyway.

The government moves to ban Hezbollah's telephone networkand sack the airport security chief are already a dead letter.

Political turmoil has left Lebanon without a presidentsince November. Parliament speaker and opposition leader NabihBerri has postponed until June 10 an assembly session calledfor Tuesday to elect a head of state. It was the 19th suchdelay.