Gaddafi regime's snipers kill 15 mourners attending funeral of protesters in Libya

Tripoli, Feb 20 (ANI): Sniper commandos have reportedly shot dead at least 15 mourners and wounded many others attending the funeral of protesters killed during the Libyan uprising as Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's regime attempted to crush dissent.

Gaddafi's regime had also deployed artillery and helicopter gunships against the demonstrators, and thugs armed with hammers and swords attacked families with the intention of crushing down the uprising, The Telegraph reports.

The paper quoted a hospital official as saying that one of the victims was apparently struck on the head by an anti-aircraft missile, and many were shot in the head and chest.

He also said that a huge number of people have turned up in the hospital to donate blood, adding: "Many of the dead and the injured are relatives of doctors here. They are crying and I keep telling them to please stand up and help us."

In addition to Saturday's death toll, as many as 84 people are believed to have been killed by Friday night, the paper said.

The five-day uprising in eastern Libya has been the greatest challenge to the 42-year rule of Colonel Gaddafi, the world's longest-serving ruler. The uprising has disrupted the Internet and phone lines in the country, it added. (ANI)