Tens of thousands of Libyans have defied a government decree not to celebrate the Islamic Festival of Sacrifice on Friday.

On Thursday, which the government had set as the festival's beginning, most people stayed home. Most mosques held celebrations on Friday despite a government decree not to do so. Those who ignored the order said they wanted to being celebrating the three-day festival on the same day as Muslims in Mecca.

Tripoli's main mosque (Photo: Flickr)