Gaddafi rallies support amid demonstrations

Muammar Gaddafi has toured the Libyan capital Tripoli, trying to rally loyalists amid widening anti-government protests, the state news agency said.

US-based Human Rights Watch says 24 people were killed in clashes between protesters and pro-government forces on Wednesday and Thursday, and protests were reported in several cities across Libya.

More demonstrations are expected today and witnesses said protesters camped out overnight in a central area of the eastern port city in Benghazi.

The state news agency JANA says that Col. Gaddafi’s convoy toured Tripoli late on Thursday to rally support.

A pro-Gaddafi online paper also said a son of Col. Gaddafi visited security forces in an eastern region where many of the protests took place to offer financial help.