Anti-government protests are taking place in Libya's capital Tripoli for the first time since the uprising against leader Colonel Gaddafi began.
Eyewitnesses in the centre of the city have reported hearing gunshots and seeing burning vehicles as thousands of pro and anti-regime demonstrators clash.
The North African country has seen days of unrest as protesters, spurred on by the revolutions in neighbouring Egypt and Tunisia, call for Gaddafi to step down after 40 years.
Much of the violence has so far centred on the second city of Benghazi in the northeast of Libya where at least 200 people are believed to have been killed.
Speaking on Libyan TV on Sunday night Colonel Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam Gaddafi admitted that some people have died in the violence and that the poorly trained and equipped army has "made some mistakes".
But he said reports that 250 people have been killed is an "unimaginable exaggeration".
He added that wealthy businessmen and tradesmen had hired Arab and African expats to cause the violence.
Earlier, members of a Libyan army unit told Benghazi residents they have defected and "liberated" the city from pro-Gaddafi forces.
Speaking from the city, a local man named Benali, told Sky News that members of the Libya's armed forces have defected and that anti-regime protesters are now in control of the city.
Habib al-Obaidi, who heads the intensive care unit at the main Al-Jalae hospital, appeared to confirm the reports, saying the "Thunderbolt" squad arrived at the hospital with soldiers who had been injured in clashes with Gaddafi's men.
"They are now saying that they have overpowered the Praetorian Guard and that they have joined the people's revolt," said Mr al-Obaidi.
The doctor also confirmed the hospital had received the bodies of at least 50 people killed in clashes on Sunday afternoon.
Most had died of bullet wounds and another 100 others were admitted with serious injuries.
The news of further deaths comes as Libya's representative to the Arab League tendered his resignation in protest to "oppression against protesters".
Coffins of protesters are carried through the streets. Photo: Flickr a7fadhomar
The extent of the chaos and violence in Libya has been difficult to ascertain as foreign journalists are banned from the country.
Furthermore, telecommunications have been interrupted and the internet cut off.
The FCO has advised against all but non-essential travel to Libya and is helping British nationals to leave the country.
The United States has said it is "gravely concerned" by "credible reports" that hundreds of people had been injured or killed in a government crackdown, including reports that troops have fired machine guns at crowds.
The protesters' coffins are lined up in Benghazi. Photo: Flickr a7fadhomar
There was also widespread speculation within Libya that the regime had hired African mercenaries to suppress any anti-government action.
One doctor in Benghazi was quoted as saying his hospital has counted at least 200 dead since the unrest began.
Separately, a hospital worker in the city named Abdullah told Sky News: "(On Saturday) we had a heavy attack - gunshots by the army forces, especially at night.
"People were protesting... the forces just attacked to make them leave."
A video posted on the internet on Saturday night apparently shows protesters in Benghazi being fired on - but it is unclear whether those shooting are Libyan troops.
Colonel Gaddafi came to power in Libya after a 1969 coup
A resident of the city, Mary, also told Sky News there had been a fierce confrontation between protesters and the military on Saturday evening.
"There was artillery fire back at young boys who were protesting infront of a big military compound where Colonel Gaddafi usually lives when he's here," she said.
"The boys are trying to take this from the army but I don't think they'll have any chance because of the heavy artillery they're using against them."
Foreign Secretary William Hague
It followed reports that said snipers opened fire on a crowd of mourners during the day who had gathered to bury those killed in earlier protests.
Resident Mary said there was another demonstration in front of Benghazi's courthouse on Sunday.
"There was 50 bodies taken for burial from the courthouse and I heard they were travelling to the funeral procession and there was very heavy gunfire," she said.
"I don't know if they were firing at them (the mourners), but it seemed like it."
Protesters gathered outside the Libyan embassy in London
Separate reports backed her comments, indicating Libyan forces had again opened fire on mourners on Sunday.
Britian's Foreign Secretary William Hague has condemned the violence unleashed by Colonel Gaddafi.
He told Sky's Murnaghan programme: "It is such a closed society to the international media, nevertheless the world is watching.
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RT @faizaan_9: @hindhassan I just spoke to a friend in tripoli says 800 dead in benghazi according to al hurra by hindhassan
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RT @AlArabiya_Eng: Hundreds of Tunisians flee Libya: union official : http://goo.gl/FtFKF #Feb17 #Gaddafi #lTripoli #Benghazi by benniekay
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RT @iyad_elbaghdadi: OK, Reuters just confirmed our earlier tweets about #Libya army special brigade joining the people and liberating #Benghazi! by Caliowa
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RT @ChangeInLibya: Wow.. women, daughters and children in Misurata and Benghazi are telling the men to go, and to either bring freedom or go to heaven.. #feb17 by Aloha_Analytics
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RT @Tripolitanian: #Benghazi hospital has ran out of anesthesia a day ago, have to perform surgery without painkillers, please send supplies by inzilbeth666
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RT @ahnesh: Video of the people taking over Benghazi... http://t.co/H8OsuRy via @Feb17Libya #Feb17 #Libya by frameofm1nd
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RT @AlArabiya_Eng: Hundreds of Tunisians flee Libya: union official : http://goo.gl/FtFKF #Feb17 #Gaddafi #lTripoli #Benghazi by BoroPark01
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RT @oli2be: Libyan Minister of Public Security has joined the Benghazi protesters. (Al Jazeera) /@SultanAlQassemi #Libya by lysssandros
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RT @sultanalqassemi: Haaretz: Agencies: Witnesses: Libya army says Benghazi 'liberated' from pro-Ghadafi forces http://bit.ly/icdeyZ by WayeMason
- The United Kingdom condems what the Libyan government has been doing and how they have responded to these protests.
"What Colonel Gaddafi should be doing is respecting basic human rights and there is no sign of that in the dreadful response, the horrifying response, of the Libyan authorities to these protests."
He later phoned Colonel Gaddafi's son Saif to express his "grave concern" about the deteriorating situation in Libya.
In London on Sunday, demonstrators also gathered outside the Libyan embassy, with some telling Sky News they had lost loved ones in the Benghazi violence.
Elsewhere, the EU presidency said it has been warned by Libya to stop "encouraging" the protests - otherwise Tripoli will "suspend co-operation" in the fight against illegal immigration.
Libya is divided down sectarian lines - Colonel Gaddafi draws his main support from the western regions.
In the east there is an opposing tribe to that of the Libyan leader and there have been unrest in Benghazi before.
Over the past two years there has been very violent protests in the city.
Meanwhile, the state-run Jana news agency said authorities had arrested dozens of Arab nationals who were members of a "foreign network trained to damage Libya's stability, the safety of its citizens and national unity".
The group included Tunisian, Egyptian, Sudanese, Palestinian, Syrian and Turkish citizens.
However international observers considered the claim as a way to divert dissatisfaction with Colonel Gaddafi's regime.
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