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Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Libya Wednesday in the first sign that the unrest which toppled governments in neighboring Tunisia and Egypt has spread to the North African nation.

Witnesses said protesters in the eastern port city of Benghazi chanted slogans demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi.

The Associated Press said that the crowds did not appear to direct their anger at Moammar Gadhafi, who is Africa's longest-serving leader. He has ruled for 41 years.

However, Dubai-based television news service Al-Jazeera reported that sources said the demonstrators chanted slogans against the "corrupt rulers of the country."

Al-Jazeera said the protesters had called on citizens to observe Thursday as a "Day of Rage," hoping to emulate the popular uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia and end Gadhafi's regime.

As in the previous uprisings, Libyan activists were using social networking websites including Facebook.

Libya's state-run Juna news agency did not carry any word of Wednesday's anti-government protests.

It reported only that supporters of Gadhafi were holding pro-government demonstrations in  Tripoli, Benghazi and other cities.

It said people taking part held up portraits of Gadhafi and chanted: "We sacrifice our blood and souls for you our leader!" and "We are a generation built by Moammar and anyone who opposes it will be destroyed!"

However, the online edition of Libya's privately-owned Quryna newspaper, which is based in Benghazi, said a crowd armed with Molotov cocktails threw stones.

'A bad night'
It said they protested outside a local government office to demand the release of the human rights activist, and then went to the city's Shajara square where they clashed with police and government supporters.

The paper that government supporters had taken over the square. Fourteen people were injured including 10 police officers, but none of the injuries were serious, the newspaper added.

A video clip posted online by someone who said it was recorded in Benghazi on Tuesday night showed a crowd of people outside what looked like a government building chanting: "No God but God!" and "Corruption is the enemy of God."

A Benghazi resident contacted by Reuters said the people involved in the clashes were relatives of inmates in Tripoli's Abu Salim jail, where militant Islamists and government opponents have traditionally been held.

Some were relatives of inmates killed at the prison in June 1996, when more than 1,000 prisoners were shot dead.

"Last night was a bad night," said the witness, who did not want to be identified.

"There were about 500 or 600 people involved. They went to the revolutionary committee (local government headquarters) in Sabri district, and they tried to go to the central revolutionary committee ,  They threw stones," he said. "It is calm now."

Following the rioting, a local human rights activist, Mohamed Ternish, told Reuters that the government was to release 110 prisoners jailed for membership of the banned Libyan Islamic Fighting Group.

The prisoners are the last members of the group still being held, he added.

On Monday, several opposition groups in exile called for the overthrow of Gadhafi and for a peaceful transition of power in Libya.

"Col. Gadhafi and all his family members should relinquish powers," the groups said in a statement.

Idris Al-Mesmari, a Libyan novelist, told Al-Jazeera by telephone that security officials dressed as civilians used tear gas, batons and hot water to disperse the protesters.

The news service added there were unconfirmed reports that Al-Mesmari was arrested hours after the interview.