7 die in Libyan protests in Benghazi: medical official

Tripoli, Feb 18 (AFP) Seven people were killed in theLibyan city of Benghazi in clashes between security forces andanti-regime protesters, a medical official told AFP, raisingthe day''s toll by one.

"Seven protesters were killed in the demonstrationsyesterday at Benghazi," the medical official who requestedanonymity said, without giving further details.

The newspaper Quryna, which is close to the son of Libyanleader Moamer Kadhafi, also reported the same death toll,citing a security official.

Gunfire rang out in several parts of the city on thethird straight day of protests against the long-time Libyanleader, Ramadan Briki, chief editor of the Quryna newspaper inBenghazi, told AFP.

"It is the first time that we have heard shooting in thecity," Briki said. "Given the difficulties, we are unable toknow if there are fatalities or not."

Separately, lawyers demonstrated in front of a courthousein Benghazi - Libya''s second city after Tripoli - to demand aconstitution for the country.

The websites Al-Youm and Al-Manara, monitored in Nicosia,said at least four people were killed in the city of Al-Baida,200 kilometres (120 miles) east of Benghazi, on Wednesday.

Sites monitored in Cyprus and a Libyan human rights groupbased abroad reported earlier that the anti-Kadhafi protestsin Al-Baida had cost as many as 13 lives.(AFP) SHS