BENGHAZI, Libya — Gathering here to bury nearly 30 civilian protesters killed the night before by a powerful militia, mourners said Sunday that they hoped a backlash after the massacre would finally cow Libya’s freewheeling brigades into submitting to the central government.

“It is sad that whenever we reach our goals we have to lose souls in the process,” said Naja Abdel Wanis, 28, an engineer. The militia, known as Libya Shield, had already fled, he said, adding, “There is no longer a Libya Shield.”

Militia leaders argue that Libya’s weak transitional government still badly needs their superior firepower. But after this weekend’s clashes, there were signs on Sunday that Libyans’ shock at the violence against civilians might undercut the influence of the biggest militia leaders just as they appeared poised to consolidate their political power.

On Sunday afternoon, the transitional Parliament said it had accepted the resignation of the government official closest to the militia leaders, Yousef al-Mangoush, the military chief of staff and the brigades’ chief advocate. Libya Shield’s compound here was all but deserted, and its fighters were scattered after the melee on Saturday night. A handful of looters pawed over the rubble of a burned-out car, a tank and a rocket launcher left in the yard.