Accessibility links

Breaking News

25 Killed In Clashes In Libya


Protesters run after an attack on a Libyan militia, the Libya Shield brigade, headquarters in Benghazi, Jun. 8, 2013.
Protesters run after an attack on a Libyan militia, the Libya Shield brigade, headquarters in Benghazi, Jun. 8, 2013.
In Libya on Saturday at least 25 people were killed and many others were wounded in clashes between protesters and militias with ties to Libya's military in the eastern coastal city of Benghazi.

Central Benghazi hospital al-Jala said there were 25 bodies in its mortuary after several hours of clashes Saturday evening. There were also more than 50 wounded.

Officials say violence erupted after protesters stormed a base belonging to the Libya Shield brigade, a militia reportedly aligned with the Defense Ministry. The militia is made up of rebels who had fought to oust former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.

The protesters are demanding that militia members lay down their arms and be replaced with Libya's regular security forces.

Benghazi was the site of the September 11 attack last year that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans.
  • 16x9 Image

    VOA News

    The Voice of America provides news and information in more than 40 languages to an estimated weekly audience of over 326 million people. Stories with the VOA News byline are the work of multiple VOA journalists and may contain information from wire service reports.

XS
SM
MD
LG