More than a dozen people were dead Saturday after clashes between anti-government protesters and security units in the Libyan town of Benghazi, eyewitnesses and media reports said.
An eyewitness in Benghazi, where the protests began on Wednesday, said soldiers shot live rounds of munitions and large calibre tank weapons at the demonstrators and into residential buildings, dpa reported.
The soldiers were not Libyans but rather mercenaries from Mali, an eyewitness said. In front of her house were 25 dead bodies, the woman said. Another witness told al-Jazeera broadcaster of dozens of dead.
Residents of Benghazi posted videos on the internet showing Libyan protesters defacing the bodies of men in uniform. The protesters said they had stormed buildings housing police and security units in several towns and cities to seize weapons.
Gaddafi, who has held power since 1969, has built a personality cult, protected by a special unit of his army led by his son Chamie. His son Mutassim is responsible for another unit of the forces. Parties are banned in Libya.
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