At least one person was killed and several more wounded when fresh clashes erupted in Libya's capital Saturday as soldiers and militias supporting the government tried to restore peace following a deadly anti-militia protest.
Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zidan warned militiamen not to enter Tripoli in an appeal for "restraint." Police have limited travel to the city's Gharghour neighborhood, where a militia originally from outside Tripoli is based. Many Tripoli shops were closed.
On Friday, at least 43 people were killed and more than 450 wounded when militiamen from the city of Misrata opened fire on protesters who had marched, demanding the group leave the capital city. Officials say the death toll is likely to rise.
The militias are holdovers from the 2011 uprising that ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi and are a powerful force in the North African country.
In Washington, the U.S. Department of State condemned the violence and urged restraint, saying there was "no place for this kind of violence in the new Libya."
Protesters had marched to Tripoli's Gharghour neighborhood Friday chanting, "we want an army, we want police," as they demanded that the country's security forces take the place of militias.
At first the gunmen fired into the air to scare them off, but as the march continued, they fired at the protesters.
Demonstrators fled, but later returned with their own weapons to attack the compound where the militiamen remained holed up.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zidan warned militiamen not to enter Tripoli in an appeal for "restraint." Police have limited travel to the city's Gharghour neighborhood, where a militia originally from outside Tripoli is based. Many Tripoli shops were closed.
On Friday, at least 43 people were killed and more than 450 wounded when militiamen from the city of Misrata opened fire on protesters who had marched, demanding the group leave the capital city. Officials say the death toll is likely to rise.
The militias are holdovers from the 2011 uprising that ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi and are a powerful force in the North African country.
In Washington, the U.S. Department of State condemned the violence and urged restraint, saying there was "no place for this kind of violence in the new Libya."
Protesters had marched to Tripoli's Gharghour neighborhood Friday chanting, "we want an army, we want police," as they demanded that the country's security forces take the place of militias.
At first the gunmen fired into the air to scare them off, but as the march continued, they fired at the protesters.
Demonstrators fled, but later returned with their own weapons to attack the compound where the militiamen remained holed up.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
