There were angry exchanges between loyalist and republican politicians today after another night of rioting in north Belfast left a man in hospital with a superficial bullet wound to his face.
Northern Ireland Secretary Mr John Reid is holding talks with a Sinn Féin delegation about the continuing sectarian clashes.
About 300 rioters took to the streets late last night as trouble centred on Alliance Avenue, Ardoyne Road and Crumlin Road. There were also reports of gunmen opening fire on officers and nationalists and rounds of automatic fire in the nearby loyalist Glenbryn area.
Democratic Unionist Party councilor for the area blamed the IRA for attacking outnumbered loyalists. "What is significant is that these things are happening at vulnerable points for the Protestant community," said Mr Nelson McCausland.
But Sinn Féin MLA Mr Gerry Kelly, said he was in no doubt that the Ulster Defence Association was behind the trouble.
"It is the UDA who are firing automatic fire and trying to shoot people. They are the people who should be challenged, they are the people who are supposed to be on ceasefire, who are bringing the guns out to attack Catholic areas," Mr Kelly said.
"The whole thing has escalated into what is now a bombing and shooting attack on Catholics on a nightly basis," he added.
Police have also confirmed up to twelve shots were fired into the loyalist Tiger's Bay area of north Belfast. No injuries were reported.
The overnight violence followed earlier sectarian clashes between crowds on the Crumlin Road which led to several people being taken to hospital.
Carloads of men pelted homes with bricks and paint bombs, the RUC said, smashing windows in at least five homes.
Loyalist and republican mobs ended up fighting hand-to-hand in more than three hours of disturbances.
Three RUC officers were injured and three homes in the predominantly Protestant Twaddell Avenue had windows smashed in the trouble.
PA