Arab foreign ministers cut short an emergency meeting Sunday over the crisis in Lebanon to appeal for an immediate end to armed violence in Mount Lebanon and other parts of the country.

The deputy chief of the Arab League, Ahmed bin Hilli, read a statement appealing 'for the withdrawal of armed men from areas of tension and making possible the mission of the Lebanese army to maintain security for the sake of stopping bloodshed.'

The appeal was made at the request of Lebanon's acting Foreign Minister Tarek Mitri.

Arab League Secretary-General Amr Musa and Qatar's Prime Minister Jasim bin Jabir al-Thani will fly to Lebanon within the next hours to bring all rival powers together to negotiate an end to the crisis, Arab diplomatic sources said.

Fierce clashes broke out between followers of Druze leader Walid Jumblatt and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, especially in the suburbs of the capital Beirut four days ago.According to hospital sources, as of late Sunday, at least 22 people have been killed and several others injured in the relentless clashes since last Wednesday.