afrol News, 4 March - Several hundred, some times thousands of protesters defy pro-Ghaddafi troops and snipers in working class districts of Tripoli, following the Friday prayers.
From several Tripoli neighbourhoods and suburbs, there are reports of hundreds of protesters streaming out to the streets following prayers. Protesters call for the Ghaddafi regime stop the violence and to step down.
In the Tripoli suburb of Tajura, several hundred protesters took to the streets right after the prayers. For the moment, they have not been met with resistance by pro-Ghaddafi troops. Tajura has been one of the strongholds of the protesters in the Libyan capital, but regular attacks have mostly kept the suburb on the regime's hands.
Also in the Tripoli working class district of Fashloom, located close to Tajura, protesters have gathered after the Friday prayers. There are no confirmed reports of any pro-Ghaddafi intervention in Fashloom as yet. Fashloom is another hotspot of the protests in Tripoli.
In other districts of Tripoli, people have been prevented from going to the mosques by roadblocks. Attempts to gather crowds here have been met with gunshots, eyewitnesses say.
People living in these districts speak of "fear" and "intimidation", with most residents not daring to leave their homes in fear of snipers and government agents shooting at everybody looking suspicious.
The climate in the Libyan capital today strongly contrasts the relative calm during the last few days. Protest
Friday prayers in Libya's "liberated" city Benghazi
ers have announced that Fridays would be the days of extra effort to mobilise against the Ghaddafi regime in Tripoli.
Many Tripoli residents, especially in upmarket neighbourhoods, during the week reported that life had returned almost to normal, with most shops having reopened and even communal services such as refuse collection being operational.
Today, Friday, the mood is different. Even in upmarket Tripoli districts, most residents stay at home in fear of clashes.
As central Tripoli remains mostly calm and off limit to protesters, Colonel Ghaddafi's remaining loyal troops keep up their two large offensives in eastern and western Libya, effectively blocking the protest movement from sending help to protesters in Tripoli.
Also today, there have been reported clashes in Al-Zawiya, a "liberated" town just west of Tripoli, which is being attacked by the feared "Khamis Brigade", headed by the youngest son of the Libyan leader. Pr-Ghaddafi troops have also taken control of the Tunisian border today.
In the east, airborne pro-Ghaddafi troops stay in control of the strategic airport of Port Brega. Also in the east, from the city of Sirte, pro-Ghaddafi troops have today launched attacks on the nearby oil port of Ras Lanuf. Troops from "liberated" Benghazi reportedly have not reached this area yet.
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