Tripoli, July 28 (IANS): In a major jailbreak, over 1,000 convicts, most of them facing serious charges, escaped from a prison near Libyan city of Benghazi Saturday, Xinhua reported.

Witnesses said the mass jail-break occurred after a fierce riot at al-Kuifiya prison.

Some of the escapees were recaptured by the police and security forces, said witnesses. But no official statements concerning the number of those who managed to escape were immediately available.

It was unclear whether the prisoners had got external help, and whether the incident was linked to the ongoing demonstrations across the country.

On Saturday, protesters took to the street in Libya to denounce the killing of Abdelsalam al-Mosmary, a prominent activist and critic of the Muslim Brotherhood, who was shot dead Friday.

The Muslim Brotherhood is accused of being behind the assassination, while many demonstrators said the government is slow in responding to violence.

Two military officials were also killed in Benghazi Friday.