Gunmen stormed Libya's parliament and started shooting this afternoon, forcing lawmakers to abandon a vote on the country's next prime minister, a parliamentary spokesman said.

Spokesman Omar Hmeidan told Reuters that several people had been wounded by the shooting started by gunmen linked to one of the defeated candidates for prime minister. He gave no name. Lawmakers were running away from the building, witnesses said.

The government of the oil-producing North African state has been unable to control heavily-armed militias who helped oust Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 but refuse to disarm and have carved out regional fiefs.

Hmeidan said deputies had started the final vote on a replacement for Premier Abdullah al-Thinni, who resigned two weeks ago, saying gunmen had attacked his family.

In the first ballot, businessman Ahmed Maiteeq came out on top among seven candidates. A second round between Maiteeq and the runner-up Omar al-Hasi had been meant to take place when gunmen burst into the assembly.