NOS . News†
Protesters stormed the Libyan parliament building in the eastern city of Tobruk. A fire was set in and around the building.
The North African country is politically divided into two parts. Demonstrators are angry at the political deadlock, corruption and poor living conditions. People also took to the streets of the capital, Tripoli.
An eyewitness told the Associated Press that thousands of protesters marched to Parliament. They demanded the resignation of politicians and the holding of new elections. Libyan media are talking about acts of vandalism in the building. The documents could have been burned.
Cars and tires outside the building were set ablaze. Thick clouds of smoke can be seen in the area. According to the eyewitness, the security forces tried to prevent people from entering the building. One protester is said to have been shot in the leg and then other protesters stormed their way inside.
Since Friday is the first day of the weekend in Libya, it is expected that not many people will be in the building. Nothing is known about the victims at this time.
Interim Prime Minister Dabaiba says he is behind the protesters. He demands the resignation of all political institutions, including his government, and the holding of new elections.
Protests elsewhere too
People have also taken to the streets in other parts of Libya to protest, including the capital Tripoli and Benghazi. The country has been in chaos since the NATO-backed uprising in 2011. During that uprising, the dictator Gaddafi was overthrown and later killed.
Since then, the country has politically split into two rival factions. One in the east of Tobruk and the other in the capital. Both claim political power and receive support from abroad. The peace process began two years ago, but it has yielded nothing so far.
