Six people have been killed in protests in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, over the removal of a key official investigating a bomb blast at a port last year.
According to the AFP news agency, tanks and troops have been deployed to prevent street fighting, which has revived memories of the country's civil war from 1975 to 1990, where the country was permanently damaged by bombings and economic problems last year.
Protests by Hezbollah and Amal Tehreek allies have sparked riots across the country, with bullets, grenades and ambulance sirens echoing everywhere.
Protesters were protesting against Judge Tariq Batar, who was tasked with investigating the August 4 bombing at the Beirut port that killed more than 200 people and damaged parts of the capital.
Hezbollah and Amal have been in the limelight in recent days as they have called for the summoning of top officials from both parties to investigate the blasts.
The violence began with sniper fire from residential buildings aimed at Hezbollah and Amal supporters, and after the sniper fire, protesters fired AK-47 assault rifles and rockets, AFP correspondents said. Fired from hand grenades.
"I couldn't stand the noise, especially the RPG," said Samar, who was trapped by gunfire in the southern part of the city.
Interior Minister Bassim Mawlawi said the exchange of fire began with a sniper firing and the first death was due to a gunshot wound to the head.
He said six people were killed in the exchange of fire, but did not say who fired the shots. LIVE on AlJazeera @AJArabic
Amal or Hezbollah fighter gets shot while trying to fire his RPG
6 killed, 60 wounded as shots were fired during a protest by Hezbollah supporters against Tarek Bitar, the judge investigating the Beirut Port blast, in front of the Palais de Justice pic.twitter.com/wWK8HynuIs
The Lebanese Red Cross put the number of people injured in the shootings and clashes at 30.
During the shootings and chaos, bullets also hit homes and holes in the walls of buildings, while many frightened citizens were trapped in their homes.
A doctor at Sohail Hospital in the southern suburbs of Beirut told AFP that the dead included a 24-year-old man who had been shot inside his home and died of his injuries. أشبه بساحة حرب.. مشاهد من العاصمة اللبنانية #بيروت إثر إطلاق نار متبادل أدى لوقوع 6 قتلى وإصابة 33 آخرين pic.twitter.com/VNXnSylgIE
AFP correspondents say the army made some arrests as it raided residential buildings in search of sniper shooters.
Hezbollah and Amal blamed the clashes on Lebanese forces, a Christian party and a fierce opponent of the Iranian-backed group.
He said in a joint statement that Lebanese fighters had climbed onto rooftops and fired sniper rifles.
Lebanese forces chief Samir Gejia denied the allegations, citing Hezbollah weapons, saying the real cause of the violence was the proliferation of weapons.
Gijia condemned the clashes and called on authorities to investigate.
In an atmosphere of tension, the Lebanese people see Judge Batar as the last hope for justice, but political leaders have called him biased and corrupt. Guns have fallen silent … army enters neighborhoods on both sides of divide - seems there is an undeclared truce after four hours of clashes #Lebanon
Batar has created deep divisions within the government where some people are in favor of keeping him in office while a constituency is demanding his removal.
A court official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that the Court of Cassation on Thursday rejected a lawsuit filed by two former ministers seeking the removal of the investigating judge.
This is the second time this month that the judiciary has ruled in favor of the judge, but Hezbollah and Amal are still pushing for his removal.
