Protesters burn Haftar pictures in Benghazi 

The eastern city of Benghazi in Libya on Thursday witnessed angry protests over the deterioration of services and the low standard of living, during which the participants burned pictures of warlord General Khalifa Haftar.

Videos shared by activists on social media platforms showed hundreds of protesters in Benghazi blocking roads and setting tyres alight.

The demonstrators chanted slogans such as: “We do not want anything but our dignity, whether we live or die. Rebel Benghazi, they stole your money, what are you still waiting for?”

Others published videos of them burning images of Haftar.

Activists circulated a video clip, which included a statement on behalf of the youth of the city of Benghazi, demanding to: “Drop all state bodies that were unable to serve the citizens.”

READ: Protests flare in Libya’s Benghazi over power cuts, living conditions

A young man surrounded by hundreds of demonstrators appeared while reading the statement: “We, the youth of the city of Benghazi, went out to demand our natural rights, and to achieve social justice for which thousands of martyrs fell.”

He added: “In light of the complete absence of state institutions, and in pursuit of the aspiration of the youth and in revenge for our martyrs, we have only one request, which is the fall of all state bodies.”

Libyans in Benghazi, which is under the control of Haftar, report that the city is witnessing daily power cuts that extend for long periods of time, as well as high prices of fuel, goods and food.