Sixteen British soldiers were hurt in fighting in the Short Strand area of east Belfast that continued into early this morning.
Rival crowds threw stones and fireworks across the peaceline dividing Protestant Cluan Place from Catholic Clandeboye Drive. The disorder later spread to the Albertbridge Road.
Early reports indicated a foot injury to a soldier, but it emerged this morning 16 soldiers were hurt, with several being hopitalised. The British army say they fired 17 baton rounds.
Bomb-disposal experts defused a pipe bomb in Cluan Place at 1.30 a.m. Exploded fragments from a similar device were found earlier at Clandeboye Drive.
The trouble came hours after First Minister Mr David Trimble visited the area and held talks with Police Service of Northern Ireland acting chief constable Colin Cramphorn about the sectarian violence in east and north Belfast.
Deputy First Minister Mr Mark Durkan held separate talks with trade unionists about the situation.
Northern Ireland Security Minister Ms Jane Kennedy went on patrol with police during trouble on Tuesday night in east Belfast.
The minister, who pledged to return soon for talks with local community representatives, praised the police for their efforts to keep the rival factions apart.
She said: "Once again my overwhelming feeling is of admiration and gratitude to the police who are asked on a nightly basis to put themselves in situations of great danger to protect the very areas from which attacks on them are launched".
Additional reporting PA