MASS MURDER; 100 die in crackdown on Mid-East protests.(News)

Byline: GARY ANDERSON

THE world reacted in horror yesterday at shocking footage of a muderous crackdown against anti-government protesters in Libya.

YouTube videos of troops opening fire were posted on another day of protests and violence across North Africa and the Middle East.

Libya saw the worst of the bloodshed, with around 100 killed there over three days, including 15 at a funeral to mourn 35 protesters killed on Friday.

The carnage came after Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's regime staged a violent response to demonstrations calling for an end to his 42-year leadership. There were also further clashes in Bahrain and Yemen yesterday.

Graphic images of Gaddafi's special forces firing on unarmed protesters were posted on YouTube.

In one video from the coastal city of al-Bayda, gunfire is heard over protesters' chants.

Seconds later a man is seen being dragged from the street with blood pouring from his head. Fifteen people were killed yesterday as forces fired on thousands of mourners in the city of Benghazi - at a funeral for 35 killed in a raid on a protest camp there on Friday.

Many of the dead were relatives of doctors at the city's hospital. An official there said: "The doctors are crying and I keep telling them to please stand up and help us."

Libya's main internet provider cut access yesterday and news channel Al-Jazeera said services were being jammed.

A wave of protests has spread through the Arab world after uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt ended repressive regimes. In Bahrain, thousands of protesters claimed victory after regaining control of Pearl Square in the capital Manama.

The army and police withdrew from the square after the Sunni royal family's King Hamad ordered the crown prince to open talks with Shia opposition groups.

In Yemen, one protester was killed and seven injured in clashes with supporters of President Ali Abdullah Saleh in Sanaa - a day after five people were killed in clashes.

Algerian police stopped opposition groups marching through the capital Algiers yesterday. President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has banned rallies but protesters have vowed to march every Saturday until reforms are introduced.

In Djibouti, anti-government protesters clashed with security forces for the second day running yesterday.

Last night Foreign Secretary William Hague condemned the "horrifying" crackdowns. He said: "Governments must respond to legitimate aspirations of their people, rather than resort to the use of force, and must respect the right to peaceful protest."

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Crackdown... Gaddafi LIBYA Blood pours from man's head wound BAHRAIN Wounded after demo in Manama