BEIRUT - Lebanon's Hezbollah-led opposition said on Saturday it would withdraw its armed militants from the capital and called on the country's army to take over, an official close to the opposition said.

"The opposition welcomes the army's decision and will proceed with the withdrawal of all its armed elements so that control of the capital is handed over to the military," the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

His comments came shortly after the army said it was freezing government measures against Hezbollah that sparked four days of deadly unrest.

The official, said however, that the opposition would maintain a civil disobedience campaign against the Western-backed government.

- AFP /ls