Beirut - Lebanon's Western-backed government of premier Fouad Seniora observed a minute's silence Sunday to mourn the dead who fell during five-days of clashes with the opposition-led Hezbollah.

Seniora urged all Lebanese to stand for a minute of silence at noon (0900 GMT) to remember victims of the unrest and to express their rejection of the violence.

Ministers headed by Seniora, who is holed up along other ministers at the heavily-guarded governmental palace, stood in its courtyard as people in areas mostly loyal to the government stood on balconies bearing Lebanese and white flags in silence.

More than 40 people have been killed in five days of clashes - the worst sectarian violence since Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war.

The political standoff turned into clashes after the government confronted Hezbollah earlier this week.

It said it would sack the chief of airport security for alleged ties to Hezbollah and declared the group's private telephone network illegal and a threat to state security.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said Thursday the decisions amounted to a declaration of war and demanded they be revoked.

On the same day, Hezbollah and their Shiite allies managed to gain control of large swaths of West Beirut. (dpa)