At least 31 people have been killed and nearly 300 wounded after militiamen fired on a demonstration demanding their eviction from Libya's capital Tripoli, the prime minister said.
Hundreds of people carrying white flags in a sign of peace, as well as the national flag, and singing the national anthem had assembled in the capital's Meliana Square.
They then marched to the Misratah militia headquarters in the Gharghour district when gunmen inside fired into the air to scare them off.
But when the crowd continued to move towards the building, the gunmen started firing at them, according to witnesses.
Footage aired on the privately owned al-Nabaa television network showed protesters running from gunfire while carrying others covered in blood.
A Reuters reporter said they saw an anti-aircraft cannon firing from the militia compound into the crowd.
The protesters fled at first but came back heavily armed to storm the gated buildings, where militiamen when were holed up until nightfall.
Dozens of army trucks later arrived to attempt to separate the crowds and militiamen in the compound, sealing off roads to prevent more armed people joining the battle.
Witnesses said some of the militiamen were wounded or arrested, while the remainder eventually fled.
Some of the protesters were armed with weapons too The commander of the militia, Al Taher Basha Agha, vowed in a telephone interview with Libya al-Ahrar accused the protesters of opening fire first.
"Who is the person who is inciting them?" he said. "The evil ones who are using the civilians as a bridge to cross to power.
"Tripoli has not seen a war yet, it will see it soon," he threatened.
Many residents of Tripoli are frustrated with the continued presence of the militia, who are hangovers from the 2011 uprising that ousted dictator Muammar Gaddafi and now a powerful force in the increasingly lawless North African country.
The militia frequently fight with other armed factions in the city.
Prime Minister Ali Zeidan, who was briefly seized by militiamen himself last month, said his embattled government was working on a plan to drive out all militias from Tripoli.
"There will be no exception," he said. "All militias - including those in Tripoli - will be out."
Sadat al Badri, president of Tripoli's city council, which called for the protest, said tensions were rising over the militias.
"We're going to announce a general strike and launch a civil disobedience campaign until these militias leave," he said.
The militias have rejected calls from the weak central government to leave the capital.
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