Calm has returned to the center of the Lebanese capital after clashes last night between security forces and protesters demanding accountability for those responsible for the Beirut port explosion.

And units of the army worked to remove dozens of protesters from the headquarters of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Energy and Economy.

During a morning tour in the streets of Beirut, Al-Jazeera correspondent Mazen Ibrahim said that security forces are deployed in the area in an attempt to control matters, and indicated the extent of the destruction caused by the protests, which led to the deaths of dozens of victims.

Earlier, the Al-Jazeera correspondent said that the army stormed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Beirut and evicted the demonstrators, hours after they seized it.

The protesters, most of whom were retired military personnel and groups from the popular movement, had completely controlled the Foreign Ministry building, including the minister's office, without any confrontation.

Battlefield

Yesterday, the center of the capital turned into an arena of confrontations between the security forces and demonstrators disgusted with the political authority and demanding its departure.

The clashes in Martyrs Square and in the vicinity of Parliament resulted in dozens of injuries and the death of a member of the security forces, and the protesters stormed a number of government headquarters, including the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Economy, Energy and Environment, as well as the Banking Association building.

During the demonstrators storming the buildings of the Ministry of Economy and Environment, they deliberately - according to Anadolu Agency - to throw papers and documents from the upper floors of the two ministries, while the Banking Association building witnessed crushing and burning operations.

Angry demonstrators also stormed the headquarters of the Banking Association in downtown Beirut and set fire to its ground floor, before the army intervened to repel them.

And the French Press Agency reported that the army personnel entered through a back door and took the initiative to extinguish the fire and push the demonstrators outside, who were chanting "Down, down with the ruling of the bank."

The Lebanese Red Cross announced that its first aid teams were transferred to hospitals and treated about 240 injured people during the confrontations, and for its part, the security forces announced the killing of one of its members and the arrest of five protesters for rioting.

Diab: One can only get out of the crisis with early parliamentary elections (Al-Jazeera)

Speech and readiness

During the continuation of these protests and confrontations, Prime Minister Hassan Diab addressed the Lebanese people and said that he is ready to take responsibility for a period of two months until the political parties agree on a solution to the current crisis.

Diab promised in a speech a short while ago that he would propose on Monday to the Council of Ministers early parliamentary elections to get out of the current political crisis .

Realistically, he said, "It is only possible to get out of the country's structural crisis by holding early parliamentary elections to produce a new political class and a new parliament," stressing that it does not bear responsibility for the deep political and economic crises Lebanon is going through.

Diab added that the Lebanese will not have mercy on those who stand in the way of reforming the country, as he described it.

Restraint
 For its part, the army leadership called for restraint, peaceful expression, and avoiding attacks on private and public property.

The Internal Security Forces also called on the demonstrators not to attack its members, who said they were doing their duty to maintain security.

It is noteworthy that the death toll from the explosion rose to 158 dead, more than 6 thousand injured and 21 missing.

Security forces called on protesters to show restraint (Reuters)

A feeling of disappointment.
For the fifth day in a row, Beirut heals its wounds. Volunteers and residents in its affected neighborhoods are working to remove rubble and shattered glass and fix what can be repaired as a result of the explosion, which is among the largest in modern history.

And some residents - who are facing difficulties in returning their destroyed homes - feel that the state they consider corrupt has failed them again.

There were protests for months before last week's disaster, to protest the way the government was handling the economic crisis gripping the country.