Date:   2/19/2011 10:28:29 PM ( 13 y ago)
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http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/20/3143581.htm



Libya fights protesters with snipers, grenades

Posted 2 hours 28 minutes ago

There are reports at least 15 people have been killed after Libyan security forces opened fire at a funeral, as the regime struggles to suppress an uprising against veteran ruler Muammar Gaddafi.

It brings the estimated death toll in the country since the unrest began to almost 100.

The brutal crackdown comes as a wave of protests sweep through the Arab world, including Bahrain, Yemen, Iraq, Alergia, Tunisia and Kuwait.

With foreign journalists banned from entering Libya and internet and mobile phone communications frequently cut, reports on the violence have been sketchy, with some protesters relying on YouTube to publish images of the clashes.

Witnesses in Libya's second city, Benghazi, have described to the BBC scenes of chaos as soldiers shoot from rooftops and protesters fight troops on the ground.

One witness told the BBC that soldiers were using grenades and indiscriminately firing at protesters with machine guns.

"They're launching missiles, proper massive missiles, they're destroying Benghazi," he said.

"There's a brigade and they are just shooting people, killing them. And just about an hour ago, more than 40 people [have] been shot dead in the streets of Benghazi. And we've seen them, yes. Please let the world know that he's killing the people."

A doctor in Benghazi - the epicentre of protests against Mr Gaddafi's four decades in power - told Arabic television network Al Jazeera that his hospital had received 15 bodies and was treating a host of injured following the shootings.

"This is not a well equipped hospital and these injuries come in waves," the doctor said.

"All are very serious injuries, involving the head, the chest and the abdomen. They are bullet injuries from high-velocity rifles."

One witness who said he helped take victims to a local hospital put the death toll higher.

"Dozens were killed ... not 15, dozens. We are in the midst of a massacre here," he said.

Crackdown

Earlier, witnesses described how a unit of elite government forces, many of them apparently from outside Libya, were sent into Benghazi.

There are conflicting reports emerging from the conflict zone, with a security source earlier saying the situation in the Benghazi region was "80 per cent under control".

Human Rights Watch said 84 people have been killed over the past three days in the fierce security crackdown.

Libyan authorities have since arrested dozens of foreign Arab nationals for allegedly stoking anti-regime protests, with the group said to include Tunisian, Egyptian, Sudanese, Palestinian, Syrian and Turkish citizens.

The official Jana news agency said members of the group have been "charged with inciting acts of looting and sabotage, such as burning hospitals, banks, courts, prisons, police stations and offices of the military police, as well as public buildings and private properties, according to plans drawn up earlier."

The violence is the worst unrest in Mr Gaddafi's four decades in power.

The Libyan government has not released any casualty figures or made any official comment on the violence.

One woman says she is scared of what will happen to protesters when no-one is watching.

"In the absence of international media, we know what happens to anybody here," she said.

"We will be wiped out. We plead to the international human organisations and to the UN, please, please, we don't have weapons but they will kill us, they will wipe out Benghazi."

World leaders, including US president Barack Obama, have condemned the violence and are urging restraint.

In London, British foreign secretary William Hague described reports that heavy weapons fire and sniper units were being used against demonstrators as "clearly unacceptable and horrifying".

Regional unrest

In Bahrain, the Crown Prince, Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, has appeared on national television calling for calm.

It comes as thousands of protesters stream back into Pearl Square in the capital, to continue anti-government demonstrations.

Riot police who had earlier used tear gas and opened fire on demonstrators, are now pulling back and leaving the square on orders from the prince.

He has promised protesters' their demands will be addressed.

"Bahraini people, I hope that we can cooperate and unite and communicate with all political forces in the country," he said.

"Help us to calm down the situation in order to declare a day of mourning for those we lost yesterday."

In other parts of the Arab world, violent demonstrations continue to rage.

In Iraq 10 protesters were injured in clashes with Kurdish security forces in the latest violent rally, calling for officials to combat graft and improve basic services, after protests earlier in the week left two dead.

Authorities in Djibouti have detained three top opposition leaders the day after a rally to demand regime change erupted into violence that left two dead.

In Kuwait, riot police used tear gas to disperse hundreds of stateless Arabs who demonstrated for a second day demanding basic rights and citizenship.

Meanwhile, thousands of Moroccans are expected to join nationwide protests on Sunday to demand that King Mohammed hand some of his powers to a newly elected government and make the justice system more independent.

- Reuters/BBC
 

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