JNN 18 Feb 2011 : Tens of thousands of Libyans took to the streets as the country braces for “Day of Anger“ On Friday to air their discontent with four decades of Moammar Gadhafi, the longest-ruling president in the world, witnesses said. At least 20 people were killed and 200 were injured in the northern Mediterranean city of Benghazi, Libya’s second largest, said a medical source in Benghazi, who was not identified for security reasons. Our Correspondent was unable to independently verify the information. U.S. President Barack Obama condemned the outbreak of violence in Libya.
At least four people were killed in clashes at anti-government demonstrations in the eastern Libyan town of al-Baida, opposition websites and Libyan NGOs based overseas said on Thursday.
They also said security forces and pro-government militias used live ammunition to disperse a peaceful demonstration by the youth.
Protests broke out in the city of Benghazi on Tuesday night following the detention of a human rights activist who was an outspoken opponent of Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi.
Security forces fired tear gas and used water cannons to break up the demonstrations and arrested scores of opposition supporters.
According to informed sources protesters attacked the police headquarter and captured it.
Opposition activists said protesters were fighting troops for control of the nearby town of Al Bayda, scene of some of the worst violence over the past two days, where towns people said they were burying 14 people who were killed in earlier clashes.
Libyans, who have been emboldened by recent revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt that unseated two authoritarian regimes, vowed to continue rallies on Thursday called the “Day of Anger.”
On Wednesday pro-government rallies were held in support of Libya’s long-time leader.
Meanwhile, human rights group Amnesty International has urged the Libyan government to stop its crackdown on peaceful demonstrations.
“The Libyan authorities must allow peaceful protests, not try to stifle them with heavy-handed repression,” said Malcolm Smart, Amnesty International’s director for the Middle East and North Africa on Wednesday.
“Libyans have the same rights as Egyptians and Tunisians to express discontent and call for reform in their own country,” Smart added.
The group also called on Libya to recognize and respect the rights of the pro-democracy Libyans.
Britain and the European Union have urged the Libyan government to avoid violence and demanded that it allow “free expression.”
Protests in Libya, ruled by Gadhafi since a 1969 coup, began in January when demonstrators, fed up with delays, broke into a housing project the government was building and occupied it. Gadhafi’s government responded with a $24 billion fund for housing and development. A month later, more demonstrations were sparked when police detained relatives of those killed in an alleged 1996 massacre at the Abu Salim prison, according to Human Rights Watch. High unemployment has also fueled the protests, as have anti-Gadhafi groups
Gaddafi came to power 41 years ago during a military coup. Sources say he has held emergency meetings with the country’s top officials over fears of massive protests that are sweeping to Libya now and threaten one of the longest serving rulers in history.
Reports say that underground opposition groups and civil society movements are planning to hold mass pro-democracy protests in major cities across the African country in the coming days.
Jafria News 