Libyan demonstrators spread closer to the Libyan capital on Sunday as the death toll of the latest events in the Arab country has topped 100, according to Human Rights Watch.
Libyan demonstrators, protesting against the long-time President Moamer Kadhafi, spread closer to the Libyan capital on Sunday and new fighting erupted in the flashpoint city of eastern city of Benghazi, as the death toll of the latest events in the Arab country has topped 100, according to Human Rights Watch.
Anti-regime protests braved the streets of the country, demanding the ouster of Kadhafi who has been in power since 1969.
Witnesses told AFP news agency by telephone that security forces clashed with anti-regime protesters in the Mediterranean city of Misrata, 200 kilometers from Tripoli.
Demonstrators were on the streets there to show support for residents of Benghazi, 1,000 kilometers from the capita.
The witnesses said Libyan security forces backed by "African mercenaries" had been shooting into the crowds "without discrimination."
The campaign group said that at least 104 people have been killed in Libya since anti-government protests erupted on Tuesday.
"Our researcher in Libya has confirmed at least 104 deaths," HRW's Tom Porteous told AFP news agency from London, saying that the estimates were conservative and the overall toll was based on reports from witnesses and medics.
"We are very concerned that under the communications blackout that has fallen on Libya since yesterday that a human rights catastrophe is unfolding," said Porteous, director of its London office.
SATURDAY’S CRACKDOWN
In the eastern city of Benghazi, the main focus of the unrest, the bloodshed peaked on Saturday when a funeral procession for victims of previous violence made its way past a major security compound.
Witnesses said troops used machine-guns, mortars, large-caliber weapons, and even a missile, against the mourners.
Al-Jazeera channel quoted a hospital source as saying that they received 15 bodies and were treating numerous people following the shootings at the funeral.
Some described scenes of chaos as army snipers shot from the roofs of buildings and demonstrators fought back against troops on the ground.
MUSLIM LEADERS URGES SECURITY: STOP MASSACRE
The bloody crackdown prompted about 50 Libyan Muslim religious leaders to issue an appeal, sent to Reuters, for the security forces, as Muslims, to stop the killing.
"This is an urgent appeal from religious scholars, intellectuals, and clan elders from Tripoli, Bani Walid, Zintan, Jadu, Msalata, Misrata, Zawiah, and other towns and villages of the western area," said the appeal.
"We appeal to every Muslim, within the regime or assisting it in any way, to recognize that the killing of innocent human beings is forbidden by our Creator and by His beloved Prophet of Compassion (peace be upon him)... Do NOT kill your brothers and sisters. STOP the massacre NOW!"
