May 10 (Reuters) - Hezbollah fighters began withdrawing from Beirut on Saturday after the Lebanese army overturned government measures against the group.

The Iranian-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah had taken control of the Muslim half of Beirut on Friday, tightening its grip on the city in a major blow to the U.S.-backed government.

Here is a chronology of events since its deadlock with the pro-Western government began 18 months ago:

Nov. 11, 2006 - Five pro-Syrian Shi'ite Muslim ministers from Hezbollah and its ally, the Amal movement, resign after the collapse of talks on giving their camp more say in government.

Nov. 21 - Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel is killed by gunmen.

Dec. 1 - Hezbollah, Amal and supporters of Christian leader Michel Aoun camp outside Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's office in Beirut in a campaign to topple the government.

June 13, 2007 - Anti-Syrian parliamentarian Walid Eido and five other people are killed by a car bomb near a Beirut beach club.

Sept. 2 - Lebanese troops seize control of Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp after months of fighting with Fatah al-Islam militants in which more than 420 people are killed, including 168 soldiers.

Sept. 19 - A car bomb in Beirut kills anti-Syrian Christian lawmaker Antoine Ghanem and six other people.

Nov. 23 - President Emile Lahoud leaves the presidential palace at end of his term; no successor has been elected. The next day, Siniora says his cabinet is assuming executive powers.

Dec. 5 - Speaker Nabih Berri says rival Lebanese leaders have agreed on General Michel Suleiman as president, although parliament has yet to elect him.

Dec. 12 - A car bomb kills Brigadier-General Francois al-Hajj, the army's head of operations, and a bodyguard in a Christian town east of Beirut.

Jan. 15, 2008 - A car bomb in a Christian area of Beirut kills 3 people and wounds 16, damages a U.S. embassy car.

Jan. 25 - Wisam Eid, a captain in a Lebanese police intelligence unit, is killed by a bomb in mainly Christian east Beirut. At least five other people are killed.

Feb. 11 - Three army officers and 16 soldiers are charged over the killing of seven opposition protesters on Jan. 27.

Feb. 14 - Hezbollah holds a mass funeral for its assassinated commander Imad Moughniyah in Beirut. He was killed by a bomb in Syria a day earlier.

April 22 - Parliament fails to convene to elect a president, the 18th time it has been unable to hold a vote.

May 6 - Tension between the government and Hezbollah worsens after the cabinet says it will take legal action against the group's communications network, accusing it of violating the country's sovereignty.

-- Hezbollah is angered by a cabinet decision to fire the head of airport security who is close to the opposition and by allegations the group was spying on Beirut airport.

May 7 - Ten people are wounded when government supporters clash with gunmen loyal to the Hezbollah-led opposition in Beirut after Hezbollah supporters stage protests that paralyse the capital.

May 8 - Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah says the government has declared war on the group after its decision to act against the group's communications network.

May 9 - Hezbollah takes control of the Muslim half of Beirut.

May 10 - Hezbollah fighters begin withdrawing from Beirut after the Lebanese army overturns government measures against the group. (Writing by David Cutler, London Editorial Reference Unit; editing by Andrew Dobbie )

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