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By Ahmed Elumami and Umar Khan.
Tripoli, 15 November 2013:
The opening shots fired at today’s protests at Gharghour came from an “unknown place,” . . .[restrict]according to head of the Supreme Security Committee (SSC) Hashim Bishr.
“There were a number of people from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in civilian clothes among the protestors who have confirmed that the shooting started from an unknown place,” Bishr told the Libya Herald.
Fire from the brigade headquarters immediately followed, Bishr said.
He stressed that the protestors were unarmed, although one Libya Herald reporter saw three guns amongst the crowd. These weapons however, were apparently only brought out after members of the Misrata brigade stationed at Gharghour opened fire onto the protestors.
“When we reached the street, and were about 300 metres away, the Misrata brigades started firing anti-aircraft guns into the air,” one protestor told the Libya Herald. “We carried on marching and, when we turned into street where the brigade entrance is, they started shooting at protestors.”
Six people were hit, including an elderly man who was leading the march, he said, adding, “I saw six people shot right in front of me, and I saw another 16 people being taken away in ambulances.”
The Ministry of Health has confirmed that 13 people have died and a further 130 injured. The capital’s hospitals are struggling to cope with the injured. Local residents immediately responded to a request for blood donors made several hours ago by Tripoli Central Hospital and formed a long queue outside the building. [/restrict]
