Libyan protesters, police storm militia bases

By IANS/RIA Novosti,

Moscow: At least one person was killed and 20 injured in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi after police and demonstrators stormed militia bases, Al Jazeera TV reported.


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The violence came after around 30,000 people marched through the city Friday night demanding an end to armed groups.

Libya’s interim authorities have been attempting to rein in the numerous groups, which are said to have played a key role in helping topple the regime of long-time ruler Muammar Gaddafi last year. There have been reports of miltias carrying out abductions and killings.

The bases stormed Friday include the headquarters of Islamist group Ansar al-Sharia, which is suspected of staging the attack on a US consulate in Benghazi, in which US Ambassador to Libya Chris Stephens and three other embassy staff were killed.

The attack came amid protests over a film deemed insulting to Islam.

The group has denied any involvement in the killing of the four Americans.

Demonstrators chanted “No more Al Qaeda” and “The blood we shed for freedom shall not go in vain” as they broke into the Ansar al-Sharia compound Friday night, evicting fighters and setting a vehicle on fire.

Fighting was also reported outside the headquarters of the Rafallah Sehati brigade.

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