DHAKA: At least 31 people have been killed and 235 injured in clashes in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, officials say, after militiamen opened fire on protesters.

The demonstrators had marched to the headquarters of the Misrata militia to demand that it leave Tripoli.

Hours after the incident, armed men returned to storm the compound, where militiamen are still holed up.

The Libyan government has been struggling to contain numerous militias who control many parts of the country.

Prime Minister Ali Zeidan gave a televised address in which he said all militias had to leave Tripoli without exception.

However, it is unclear how the authorities plan to dislodge them, the BBC`s Rana Jawad reports from Tripoli.

There have been increasing demands from civilians that the militias - which emerged during the 2011 revolution - disband or join the army, in line with an end-of-year deadline set by the interim government in Tripoli.

Mr Zeidan also blamed TV stations for inflaming the situation and advised them to exercise control over who was speaking on TV, since Libya did not have "a stable democratic situation" which would allow for freedom of expression.

Source: BBC
BDST: 0928 HRS, NOV 16, 2013
MR/RS/BSK