Libyan militia 'to disband'

A powerful militia force in eastern Libya has said it will disband and withdraw from their five bases in Derna, hours after military police and protesters routed militias from the city of Benghazi.

At least 11 people were killed and more than 60 were wounded when militants fought demonstrators on the streets of Benghazi.

The protesters swept through the Ansar al-Sharia militia's base in the Libyan city early on Saturday, triggering an armed response.

A spokesman for Ansar al-Sharia said the group has since evacuated its bases in Benghazi "to preserve security in the city".

The Libyan Islamist miltia Ansar al-Sharia have announced they have evacuated their bases in Benghazi. Spokesman Yousef al-Jehani told Reuters:

The group had been the target of a mass protest in the city on Friday night.

Two demonstrators were killed as hundreds of protesters attacked militia compounds in Benghazi, angry at the excesses of troops in the city including the killing of the US ambassador, a Libyan hospital official has said.

Mohammed al-Fakhri, manager of al-Hawari hospital, said two young men died and around 30 were injured in overnight clashes near the headquarters of the Rafallah Sehati brigade.

It was the third compound demonstrators attacked after breaking off from a huge march in the centre of the city, part of a growing backlash against the militias.

A building used by the Islamist group Ansar al-Shariah, linked to the killing of Ambassador Chris Stevens, was among those overrun.

At least one person was killed and 20 wounded as Libyan protesters tried to force militias out of their bases in the eastern city of Benghazi, a hospital source has said.

Scores of demonstrators stormed several militia bases in what appeared to be a coordinated sweep of militia headquarters buildings by police, government troops and activists.

It followed a mass public demonstration against militia units on Friday.