Details have emerged of huge casualty figures in the Libyan city of Benghazi, where troops have launched a brutal crackdown on protesters.

More than 200 people are known to have died, doctors say, with 900 injured.

The most bloody attacks were reported over the weekend, as funeral marches were said to have come under machine-gun and heavy weapons fire.

One doctor, speaking amid the sound of fresh gunfire on Sunday, told the BBC that “a real massacre” had happened.

Human Rights Watch says at least 173 people have been killed in Libya since demonstrations began on Wednesday.

Benghazi, the country’s second city, has been a leading focus of protests against four decades of rule by Col Muammar Gaddafi.

Western politicians condemned the violence in Libya. During a phone conversation with Col Gaddafi’s son, Sayf al-Islam, UK Foreign Secretary William Hague spoke of London’s “grave concern” at the escalation of violence, a statement said.

Libya’s actions were “unacceptable and would result in worldwide condemnation”, Mr Hague said.

The US state department said it was “gravely concerned with disturbing reports and images coming out of Libya”.

More information is available from the BBC.