Lebanon's opposition is ending its protests against the government last
night, after a daylong deadly riots between anti- and pro-government factions,
al-Jazeera Arabic TV channel reported.
An official from the opposition said that the strike had "achieved its goals"
and was designed to send a warning to the government, said the channel.
The report said the opposition activists began clearing the barriers which
they set on main roads in Beirut and the whole country.
Early on Tuesday, Lebanese opposition forces blocked several main roads in
Beirut and in other parts of the country with burned tires as the start of a
general strike. The strike turned into violence and riots between anti- and
pro-government supporters, which claiming three lives and injured at least 50
others, according to the police.
Following the deadly riots, Lebanese Premier Fouad Seniora later in the day
had called for an urgent parliamentary session to discuss the deteriorating
security situation.
Lebanese opposition alliance launched an open-ended sit-in in downtown Beirut
on Dec. 1 to topple the Seniora's government, declaring the anti-Syrian cabinet
illegitimate and demanding early parliamentary elections and a new electoral
law.
The Seniora government, backed by the March 14 parliamentary majority
coalition, had rejected such calls and accused the Hezbollah-led protest of
trying to obstruct the creation of an international tribunal to try suspects in
the 2005 assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri and related
crimes.