Thousands attend Hariri rally

Thousands of pro-government supporters have attended a rally to mark the second anniversary of the killing of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri, according to reports.

Huge numbers of police have been sent to Beirut's Martyrs' Square to prevent any clashes between the Hariri crowd and Hizbullah protesters who have been camped outside of government buildings since December.

Violence has escalated in the country in recent days, with bus bombs exploding near Beirut killing three people and injuring 18 others.

Supporters have branded the attacks as attempts to scare off pro-government supporters who are rallying behind the current prime minister Fouad Siniora's fragile coalition government.

One supporter told the BBC: "We're here because of the martyr prime minister, because we love him and want to follow his path.

"We want culture and education not arms and streets [barricaded with] tyres, for sure. We want to learn and reach our goals and lead a normal life like everyone else."

A UN investigation into Mr Hariri's death has been forwarded by international courts and now awaits approval by the Lebanese government.

However, six pro-Syrian ministers resigned last November after a cabinet decision to endorse such an investigation, with anti-Syrian politicians accusing Syria of involvement- something that Syria has consistently denied.