At least 15 people were killed on Saturday when snipers reportedly opened fire at the crowd of mourners in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, bringing the overall death toll in six days of protests to 100.
A doctor at a Benghazi hospital told Al Jazeera that his hospital received at least 15 dead bodies bearing "bullet injuries from high-velocity rifles." The shooting took place during a funeral procession.
"All are very serious injuries, involving the head, the chest and the abdomen. All are civilians aged from 13 to 35, no police or military injuries," he said. "Absolutely a shoot-to-kill policy."
Sky News said, however, that the number of deaths might be at about 120.
"Exiled Libyan opposition groups claim up to 120 people have been killed in Libya," the channel said.
Libya's Jamahiriya News Agency said dozens of foreigners were arrested in Libyan cities for "damaging stability in Libya." Citizens of Tunisia, Egypt, Sudan, Syria, Turkey and PNA are among those arrested.
The protests in Libya, one of the world's major oil suppliers, started on February 15 amid violent anti-government demonstrations across the Middle East. Riots are largely centred in the eastern cities of Benghazi, Bayda and Tobruk, but there are reports that unrest has been spreading to the west of the country.
Internet was cut in an attempt to disrupt the demonstrations.
Human Rights Watch said earlier in the day at least 84 people have been killed by security forces in the Libyan protests against the rule of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, who has ruled the country for about 40 years.
MOSCOW, February 20 (RIA Novosti)
