Troops were back on the streets of north Belfast tonight as police fought to halt a new outbreak of sectarian violence.
Loyalists and nationalists clashed on the peaceline in the Ardoyne and Crumlin Road areas as tensions rose.
Rival groups hurled missiles at each other and passing vehicles while police in riot gear moved in to try and force the two factions apart.
Police warned motorists to avoid a number of areas including key roads such as the Crumlin Road, Woodvale Road, and Ardoyne Road.
Loyalists were accused of launching a pipe bomb attack across the peaceline at the home of a Catholic family.
The blast damaged a garden shed at the back of the house in Alliance Avenue, but a couple inside escaped unhurt. They were treated for shock.
Sinn Féin Assembly member Mr Gerry Kelly accused the loyalist Ulster Defence Association of carrying out the attack.
"Loyalists have been involved in attacking school children and their parents in this area for the past number of days. This afternoon's bomb attack was an attempt to kill the people living in the house," he said.
Mr Kelly, who represents the area at Stormont added: "Loyalists in north Belfast are clearly intent on heightening tensions in the area in the lead up to the Drumcree Orange Parade."
The RUC reported a series of clashes and the stoning of vehicles. A school bus had a window broken but none of the pupils on board were injured.
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The police district commander for the area, Chief Superintendent Roger Maxwell, appealed for community leaders on both sides to use all their powers to cool the hot-heads and return the area to peace.
At one stage two members of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Sinn Féin's Mr Gerry Kelly and Mr Billy Hutchinson from the loyalist Progressive Unionist Party, called for an end to the disturbances.
A Catholic primary school was forced to close because of the trouble during which stones and bottles were hurled at parents and pupils.
Ms Ann Tanney, principal of Holy Cross Primary School, said the board of governors were holding an emergency meeting tonight to discuss whether to re-open tomorrow.
"It's very important that these children are not brought up in an atmosphere of hatred and fear."
Ms Tanney said she understood parents' who had vowed not to send their children back to the school.
Pointing to what was fuelling the trouble, she added: "Sectarianism and territory and also the whole atmosphere in north Belfast is very difficult at the moment, and we are a casualty of that."
PA