(Xinhua) -- At least eight people were killed and 40 wounded during three days of sectarian fighting in Beirut, Lebanese security sources said on Friday. The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Xinhua that among the 40 injured, two were badly injured and their lives could suffer menace. The sectarian fighting between Hezbollah and pro-government supporters in Beirut entered the third day on Friday, with crackle of gunfire and sporadic bursts of rocket-propelled grenade echoing in Beirut overnight. Lebanese Al Mustaqbal (Future) TV, mouthpiece of majority leader MP Saad Hariri's Future Movement, stopped local and cable broadcasting Friday morning, after opposition gunmen sieged the station and turned it over to the Lebanese army.
Meanwhile, local Naharnet news website reported that Al Mustaqbal newspaper building in Ramlet al-Baida, southwestern Beirut, was attacked by rockets and automatic gunfire at dawn Friday. Hezbollah gunmen heavily deployed in Beirut, particularly in districts of Hamra, Karakol Druze, Raouche, Mulla, Talet el-Khayat, Zaidaniyeh, Ras Nabaa, Basta Zoqaq Blat and Nweiri, said the report.
Lebanon is currently facing the most serious political deadlock since the end of the 1975-1990 civil war. For the first time in its history, the presidential seat has been vacant since Nov. 24 of 2007 when former President Emile Lahoud stepped down. While the rival factions have agreed on the election of army chief Michel Suleiman as the successor, they disagreed on the shake-up of a new cabinet and 18 attempts of parliament to choose a president have been cancelled so far.
The presidency deadlock deepened the Lebanese political crisis as fears are mounting that failure in reaching a deal on the presidential candidate could result in more violence in the country.