Libya has long been a thorn in the US's side..
since gadaffy took over in 69,. we have not had a good relation with the country..
but to think the Libyan people stood up even in a small way to radical Islam.. is surprising..
since gadaffy took over in 69,. we have not had a good relation with the country..
but to think the Libyan people stood up even in a small way to radical Islam.. is surprising..
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/23/film-protests-benghazi-idUSL5E8KM1RQ20120923?type=marketsNewsHeadquarters of Islamist Ansar al-Sharia group targeted
* Group was linked to last week's attack on U.S. consulate
* Crowd also attacked pro-government militia
BENGHAZI, Libya, Sept 22 (Reuters) - The two main Islamist militias in Derna, a city in eastern Libya known as an Islamist stronghold, withdrew from their five bases on Saturday and announced they were disbanding, residents said, a day after a militia was driven out of Benghazi.
The Abu Slim and Ansar al-Sharia militias' announcements were apparently motivated by events in Benghazi, where Ansar al-Sharia, a group linked with last week's deadly attack on the U.S. consulate, withdrew from all its bases in the city late on Friday amid mass demonstrations in support of the government.
Those demonstrations in Libya's second city, also in the east, erupted into violence when the crowd turned against another group that had sworn support for the government.
"The militia in Derna saw what happened last night and they decided: we will not kill our brothers. So they disbanded," Siraj Shennib, a 29-year-old linguistics professor who had been part of protests against the militia, said by telephone. "They said they no longer exist as militias in Derna. They will go home and leave security to the interior ministry and army."
Shennib said anti-militia protesters had been maintaining a vigil against the groups in Derna for 10 days, and the protests became much larger after a car-jacking three days ago. Residents blame the militia for creating a climate of insecurity.
"The people started coming because it has reached the limit. They are saying: we've had enough," he said. "It was a very peaceful operation. We are happy and we appreciate the effort the militias have done to save people from conflict."