Armed Libyan protesters occupy area near parliament building, beat journalists

Demonstrators furious over presence of former members of Gaddafi regime in newly appointed cabinet

TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — Around 200 mostly armed protesters have occupied an area near Libya’s parliament building, blocking nearby roads and beating up journalists in protest of the country’s new cabinet.

Thursday’s action, in which an AP reporter was also beaten, is the third in a row staged by the group, which opposes the new government chosen by Prime Minister Ali Zidan and endorsed by Congress.

They say the 30-member cabinet includes former members of Muammar Gaddafi’s deposed regime, and should undergo screening by a state body tasked with barring such people from government jobs.

The armed protests highlight the mounting challenges Libya faces a year after the fall of Gadhafi’s dictatorship. The country is awash with weapons and armed groups.