London, Feb (ANTARA News/AFP) - The death toll in anti-government protests which have raged in Libya since Tuesday has reached at least 173, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Sunday citing hospital sources.

"There are 173 dead," HRW spokesman Tom Porteous told AFP. "It`s a conservative figure based on hospital sources in eastern Libya, Benghazi and three other places.

"It is a very incomplete figure and there are also a very large number of wounded.

"According to medical sources in Libya the wounds are indicative of heavy weapons being used against the demonstrators," Porteous added. (*)

Editor: Kunto Wibisono
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