Muammar Gaddafi is dead, NTC says - Thursday 20 October 2011 | World news | theguardian.com Muammar Gaddafi is dead, NTC says - Thursday 20 October 2011 Muammar Gaddafi. Photograph: Max Rossi/Reuters 8.45am: Welcome to Middle East Live. Here's a round up of the latest developments. • A former Syrian vice president who became one of the country's most prominent dissidents was kidnapped in Lebanon five months ago while visiting his daughter and is believed to be secretly imprisoned by the Syrian regime as it tries to crush a 7-month-old uprising, his daughter and Lebanese police said, according to AP. The abduction of Shibli al-Aisamy, an 88-year-old who holds permanent US residency, has raised alarm among some in Lebanon that members of the country's security forces are helping Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime in its crackdown on anti-government protesters, effectively extending it into Lebanon to prevent it from becoming a safe haven for the Syrian Libya • Many of the newly released Palestinian prisoners spent their first full day of freedom being feted at home by streams of well-wishers bearing gifts and flowers.

All the prisoners describe their detention as brutal with long periods of solitary confinement. 9.49am: Some residents are returning to Sirte to protect their homes from being looted by forces loyal to the new government, the BBC reports. One returning resident, Mohammed Sayeh, said anti-government forces took a computer, a mobile phone and his passport . He said he came back to stop the house being burnt down. 10.02am: Breaking: AP is reporting that Sirte has fallen. Witnesses: Libyan fighters overrun last positions of Gadhafi loyalists in Sirte, city falls. 10.05am: Government forces have captured the last remaining Gaddafi positions in Sirte, Reuters confirms, citing frontline commanders. 10.16am: AP has more details on the fall of Sirte: Libyan fighters have overrun the last positions of Gaddafi loyalists holding out in the city of Sirte and the revolutionaries now have all of the ousted leader's hometown within their hands. Reporters on the scene say the final push to capture the remaining pro-Gadhafi positions began around 8am on Thursday and was over after about 90 minutes.

Just before the assault, about five carloads of loyalists tried to flee the enclave down the coastal highway but were killed by revolutionaries. Revolutionaries began searching homes and buildings looking for any Gaddafi fighters who may be hiding there. Reuters has quotes from commanders: "Sirte has been liberated. There are no Gaddafi forces any more," said Colonel Yunus Al Abdali, head of operations in the eastern half of the city. "We are now chasing his fighters who are trying to run away." Another front line commander confirmed the capture of the Mediterranean coastal city, which was the last remaining significant bastion of pro-Gaddafi fighters almost three months after the ex-leader was overthrown by rebels. 10.22am: Mahmoud Jibril, Libya's Interim Leader, has hinted that he may step down as soon as today. In an interview with Time magazine's Vivienne Walt, Jibril described the frustrations of Libya's political power struggle. He sadi: "We have moved into a political struggle with no boundaries. The political struggle requires finances, organisation, arms and ideologies.

I am afraid I don't have any of this." Walt writes: Jibril, who heads the executive board of the rebels' National Transitional Council, did not say exactly when he would resign, but hinted that it could be as soon as Thursday, when a televised meeting of his group would detail what it had accomplished since Gaddafi's ouster, he said. In a grim assessment of Libya's current state, Jibril suggested that as the war dragged on, he had found governing the country was increasingly difficult. 10.35am: There are reports that some Gaddafi loyalists are continuing to fight in Sirte. Barry Malone a Reuters journalist tweets: Hearing some Gaddafi supporters still taking potshots in Sirte #Libya Blake Hounshell from Foreign Policy magazine: There's still a Gaddafi convoy west of Sirte, AJA reports , and clashes ongoing. Any big names in it, I wonder? BBC reporter Peter Biles: The network is now confirming that Sirte has fallen. It also reports that one of Gaddafi's cousins, Ahmed Ibrahim, was arrested trying to flee Sirte in that convoy. Ibrahim was responsible for education under the Gaddafi regime.

11.22am: Reuters has more on the hoisting of the government flag in Sirte: Libyan interim government fighters hoisted the new national flag above the centre of Sirte on Thursday after completing their capture of Muammar Gaddafi 's home town, the last serious pocket of resistance by loyalists of the ousted leader. A Reuters witness said celebratory gunfire broke out among National Transitional Council forces as the flag was raised above a large utilities building in the Mediterranean city, which had been under NTC siege for nearly two months. 11.35am: Tripoli residents have been warned not to start firing in celebration at the fall of Sirte, BBC producer Jonny Hallam reports. People in #Tripoli have been told not to fire guns in celebration or will be arrested. #Libya #Sirte Tripoli resident Ali Tweel Aries tweets: 12.01pm: We may have spoken too soon about Nato's involvement in Sirte. Al Jazeera's Evan Hill tweets: 12.07pm: Please treat the following with lots of caution, but the Misrata Military Council is reporting that Gaddafi himself has been arrested. This is not confirmed.

In an email the Information Centre for the Misrata Military Council said: Now in contact with our correspondent at the front of the Sirte. The tyrant Muammar Gaddafi Was arrested. God is great and thank God 12.15pm: A Libyan TV station has reportedly just announced that Muammar Gaddafi has been captured. The report cannot be confirmed at this stage. Mahmoud Shammam, the NTC's information minister. was just on al-Jazeera, and alluded to the capture of Gaddafi but refused to confirm it. He said: I think we can say that Sirte is liberated ...I think the celebrations are going on right now. Also there's big talk about some big fish on their way to Misrata. I cannot confirm anything but people over there are talking they caught a big fish. Asked what would happen if Gaddafi had been captured, Shammam said: We are going to put him in fornt of the court, we're not going to hang him in the street. We are going to give him the fair trial he never gave the Libyan people.

We hope that we are catching some big names so we can put them in the court and let the people have the last word on their fate ...I think every Libyan wants to see Gaddafi stand trial. 12.18pm: An NTC official has told al-Jazeera that Gaddafi has been captured and was wounded while being detained. There is still no independent verification available. 12.22pm: Reuters is quoting NTC official Abdel Majid as saying Gaddafi has been wounded in both legs. 12.32pm: The Libyan immigration minister, Ali Errishi, has just told al-Jazeera that he has spoken to fighters who have told him Gaddafi has been captured, along with his spokesman Moussa Ibrahim. But still we await independent confirmation. Errishi said Gaddafi is wounded, adding: He is, as we speak, in the custody of the freedom fighters ....I'm very, very confident [in my sources] ...They would not have woken me up early in the morning all the way from Misrata, I am in [Washington] DC [if it was not true]. Al-Jazeera is reporting that Nato forces fired on the convoy, although that report is also unconfirmed.

12.37pm: Reuters is quoting a Libyan government fighter who says he witnessed the capture of Gaddafi. He said the ousted dictator was hiding in a hole shouting "Don't shoot, don't shoot". Al-Jazeera is reporting that he is in a critical condition. But the picture remains confused. 12.44pm: The Associated Press news agency says the chief spokesman for the National Transitional Council, Jalal el-Gallal, and the NTC's military spokesman, Abdul-Rahman Busin, say that reports of Gaddafi's capture are still unconfirmed. 12.45pm: According to Sky News, the Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, is calling the capture of Gaddafi good news. Sky News is now saying its sources are confirming the capture. We still cannot confirm this. 12.50pm: Here's a summary of the latest developments: • Muammar Gaddafi has been captured fleeing Sirte, according to unconfirmed reports by some National Transitional Council officials. The NTC's information minister, Mahmoud Shamman, refused to confirm the reports, but said "big fish" are on their way to Misrata.

Gaddafi is reported to have been critically injured in both legs while being detained. "Don't shoot, don't shoot," he is reported to have said. We cannot confirm that he has been captured. • A number of high ranking Gaddafi officials are also reported to have been caught including his spokesman Moussa Ibrahim and his cousin Ahmed Ibrahim. "We hope that we are catching some big names so we can put them in the court and let the people have the last word on their fate," Shamman said. • Reports of the arrests came after the fall of Gaddafi's final stronghold of Sirte. The city was captured after a 90 minute offensive this morning. Fighters hoisted flags of the new interim government over the city and burned the green flag of the ousted Gaddafi regime. "Sirte has been liberated. There are no Gaddafi forces any more," said Colonel Yunus Al Abdali. • Mahmoud Jibril, Libya's Interim Leader, has hinted that he may step down today. In an interview with Time magazine he also complained about political infighting in the new Libya. 12.53pm: Al Jazeera is now reporting that Gaddafi was killed in Sirte. Reuters is saying that Gaddafi died of his wounds.

We cannot confirm this. 1.01pm: My colleague Chris Stephen has seen a statement on the arrest of Gaddafi - which we still cannot confirm - from Misrata military council. The statement said: "The tyrant Muammar Gaddafi Was arrested on by Misurata Thwarr [revolutionary fighters]." It added: "God is great and thank God." Chris writes: Hassan Elamin, a prominent Libyan exile who has lived for 28 years in the UK and is the editor of the online Libyan newspaper Libya Almostakbal said he had called Misrata today and that Gaddafi was reportedly being held in Misrata, Libya's third largest city. He said the city was in the middle of wild celebrations. "We're still taking in the news," he told the Guardian. "This is a big buzz." Elamin said Gaddafi was arrested by Misratan units in Sirte late last night and reportedly transported to a secure location in the city and that in the same arrest Gaddafi's former defence minister Abu Bakr Yunis was shot dead. What happens to Gaddafi now is unclear.

Misrata military council is on record as stating that it recognises the authority of the ruling National Transitional Council but does not accept its commands. Earlier this year Misratan war crimes investigators told the Observer they had complied evidence against Gaddafi including documents purportedly showing his forces being ordered to commit war crimes during the siege of Misrata. 1.02pm: Here's the Reuters tweet announcing Gaddafi's death , which we cannot confirm: FLASH: Libya's Gaddafi dies of wounds suffered in capture near Sirte - senior NTC military official 1.08pm: Sky News is reporting live from Tripoli, where there is a cacophony of celebration behind its reporter, with car horns beeping non-stop. 1.08pm: The US state department cannot confirm Gaddafi's capture, never mind his reported killing. Reuters reports: "We've seen the media reports but can't confirm them," state department spokeswoman Beth Gosselin told Reuters. White House officials were not immediately available to comment. The Pentagon also said it could not confirm the reports.

A senior official with Libya's National Transitional Council told Reuters that Gaddafi was captured near his hometown of Sirte at dawn as he tried to flee in a convoy that came under attack from Nato warplanes. Nato said it was checking reports of the capture of Gaddafi and said they could take some time to confirm. . 1.52pm: An NTC soldier is telling Sky News: "Somebody shot him with a 9mm." Another soldier says he was shot in the belly. This happened at 12.30, the soldiers say - but it is unclear if they mean am or pm. Former defence minister Abu Bakr Yunis was the only one with him, the soldier says. The other soldier says he saw it with his own eyes and that he hit Gaddafi with a shoe - a sign of severe disrespect in the Middle East. None of this can be confirmed yet, and I have to say they were not the most convincing witnesses. BBC World's Naveena Kottor : NTC's Kenshill on BBCWorld "Very reliable sources :#Gaddafi & 3 aides were killed in District 2 during the fight in #Sirte.

#Libya #Tripoli 2.13pm: Libyan NTC information minister Mahmoud Shammam said he has confirmed that Gaddafi was killed, citing fighters who said they saw the body. He said he expected the NTC chairman Mustafa Abdul-Jalil to confirm the death soon, noting that past reports emerged "before making 100% confirmation". "Our people in Sirte saw the body ... Mustafa Abdul-Jalil will confirm it soon," he told the Associated Press. "Revolutionaries say Gaddafi was in a convoy and that they attacked the convoy." Jalil is due to speak soon. 2.15pm: There is mobile phone footage of the moment Gaddafi was captured, showing him alive, according to Al Jazeera. It also reports that Gaddafi's son Mutassim has been caught alive. 2.18pm: Reuters is claiming that a Libyan NTC military official has confirmed the photo we published earlier is of Muammar Gaddafi. Reuters is also saying that Gaddafi's corpse has arrived in Misrata, citing Al-Arabiya TV. Al-Arabiya says the media will be allowed to film the body. We cannot confirm either point.

2.22pm: Confusion still surrounds the status of Gaddafi and several senior figures of his regime. Here's what is being said: Muammar Gaddafi A number of NTC officials have said that he has been killed. The interim Libyan president, Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, is expected to confirm his death soon. Abu Bakr Yunis, former defence minister Killed during the attack on Gaddafi's convoy, according to NTC official. Mutassim Gaddafi, Muammar's son Captured, according to NTC official official Abdel Majid Mlegta. Abd Allah al-Sanusi, senior Libyan intelligence chief Captured, according to pro-NTC Libya TV. Ahmed Ibrahim, Gaddafi's cousin and adviser Captured, according to Mlegta. Mansour Daw, Gaddafi aide Captured, according to pro-NTC Libya TV. The BBC is also saying that three unnamed aides were killed alongside Gaddafi. However, a soldier said only Yunis was with Gaddafi. 2.26pm: Sky News is reporting that Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, Gaddafi's most high-profile son, is still at large in the southern Libyan desert. We cannot confirm this.

2.33pm: Our interactive map shows the progress of anti-Gaddafi fighters through the fallen dictator's hometown. Did Gaddafi try to flee the closing stages of the fighting? 2.35pm: This incomprehensible tweet from al-Arabiya really sums up the confusion of today's reports : Conflicting news reports over #Gaddafi son Seif Al Islam's capture after the death of Muammar Gaddafi has been verified by the NTC 2.38pm: On the Daily Telegraph's live blog , reporter Ben Farmer says he has has been to the site in Sirte where Gaddafi was reportedly captured. He says Gaddafi was "cornered in a drain underneath a road in open countryside to the west of the city of Sirte". Gaddafi's vehicles tried to get out of the town, were hit by a Nato airstrike, and Gaddafi and several bodyguards took refuge in a drain, where they were found by NTC fighters. The Telegraph blog has an AFP picture of the drain . 2.40pm: The Libyan ambassador to London is being interviewed on Sky News. He says he is sure Gaddafi is dead.

The BBC is reporting that Mutassim Gaddafi, Muammar's son, was found dead in Sirte on Thursday, citing the NTC. Contemptible Gaddafi. Gaddafi of course called the rebels rats throughout their uprising against him. 3.09pm: Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, while not confirming Gaddafi's death, has said: "If they [the NTC] know that he is no longer a threat to them I think that will actually ease the transition process to a new government." 3.09pm: "For his own long-suffering people, Gaddafi will be remembered as a tyrant, a dictator plain and simple," says our Middle East editor Ian Black. Speaking on his way from Tunisia to Libya , Ian said: Gaddafi will be remembered as a slightly strange, flamboyant figure on the world stage. In the west we got into the habit of thinking that because he wore silly uniforms and was a bit of buffoon, then he was in some ways a fun figure. Libyans see him rather differently. He was to all intents and purposes a dictator .. Most people will be glad and relieved that his is gone.

People in Tripoli from the National Transitional Council are jubilant at the news, and are confirming that Gaddafi is indeed dead. He was killed apparently in the last stages of the fight in Sirte. There is a mood of tremendous excitement. It is obviously a hugely important day for the Libyan revolution and will echo loudly across the Arab world. The death of Muammar Gaddafi, who ruled Libya for nearly 42 years, is a very big deal indeed. Gaddafi and his son Saif al-Islam and his intelligence chief Abdullah Senussi, were of course wanted by the international criminal court in the Hague on charges for crimes against humanity. The fact that he's been killed, assuming it's true, means there will be no such trial. In a sense [the new government] will find it easier to deal with a Gaddafi who has been killed in combat, rather than a Gaddafi who would have been defiant in any court. The preferred outcome is the one that seems to have come about. His sons are less important, Ian says. But there will be attention now on the fate and whereabouts of Saif al-Islam, his most high-profile son.

There was never any inkling that Muammar Gaddafi was in Sirte. Another of his sons, Mutassim, was reported to be there, but I don't believe it has ever been publicly [reported] that Gaddafi the father was in Sirte. That is a significant and surprising new element of today's developments. The conventional wisdom was that he was on the run, hiding somewhere in the Sahara desert. There was some apparent evidence of that. Perhaps Gaddafi's presence helps explain the ferocity of the fighting we have seen in Sirte. 3.14pm: Human Rights Watch said Gaddafi's alleged war crimes should still be investigated, even if he has been killed today. Richard Dickler, director of the the organisation's international justice programme, said: Reports of Muammar Gaddafi's death, if accurate, deprive the Libyan people of the chance to see him held to account in a fair trial at the ICC [international criminal court] for the egregious crimes he allegedly committed while suppressing peaceful demonstrations in February 2011. However, his demise does not extinguish the need to bring to trial those most responsible for serious crimes against humanity and war crimes in Libya to fair trial in The Hague.

There are outstanding arrest warrants for two other suspects. In addition, we look to the ICC prosecutor to investigate allegations of other crimes against humanity and war crimes in Libya. The prosecutor's mandate enables him to look at possible crimes committed by all sides in the armed conflict. 3.16pm: The Associated Press news agency is reporting that Libyan leaders have told the US Gaddafi is dead, according to US officials. @ ShababLibya , the Twitter account for the Libyan youth movement, is urging people in London to congregate on the Edgware Road, the most famous haunt for Arabs in the capital, at 6pm BST to celebrate the death of Gaddafi. 3.27pm: Sky is quoting the Libyan prime minister, Mahmoud Jibril, as saying: We've been waiting for this moment a long time. Muammar Gaddafi has been killed. 3.30pm: NTC official Abdel Ghoga has been speaking at a news conference. He says he wants to announce the end of tyranny and dictatorship in Libya. It will never happen again. The revolutionaries have got the head of the tyrant. He has met the fate of all tyrants, Ghoga says.

"We will announce to the world that Muammar Gaddafi has been killed at the hands of the revolutionaries." Gaddafi's dictatorship has been ended, he says. 3.32pm: Muammar Gaddafi is dead, the NTC has just announced. But, perhaps not surprisingly given the pace at which events have moved today, his colleague, Linsey Hilsum, international editor at Channel 4 News, contradicts him : Jibril says fighters engaged with armed convoy believed to include #Seif al #Gadaffi Michael Collins Dunn, from the Washington-based Middle East Institute, describes Gaddafi's death as the Arab Spring's "Ceausescu moment" . The peaceful overthrow of long-standing Presidents in Egypt and Tunisia made the so-called "Arab spring" look like a genuinely benign, if not quite bloodless, transformation. But just as the fall of Communism in Eastern Europe in the early 1990s was largely bloodless, there was the exception of Rumania, where Nicolae Ceausescu met with a bloody end. The long, hard civil war in Libya made it a likely candidate for a Ceausescu-type ending.

3.39pm: In London Libyan charge d'affaires Mahmud Nacua is giving a press conference. He confirmed that Gaddafi is dead. He said: Today the Libyan NTC fighters achieved a glorious and momentous victory against the tyranny of Muammar Gaddafi, his sons and cronies ... Today we are told that Gaddafi is dead. The Libyan freedom fighters have finally succeeded in drawing the curtain on Gaddafi's crimes. Today Libya's future begins. Gaddafi's black era has come to an end for ever. The Libyan people are looking forward to a very promising future where they can finally start building the free democratic state for which they have fought for about eight months now. Our people have paid a high price. About 40,000 martyrs have given their lives for the freedom of their country. We very much appreciate the help of the international community to get rid of Gaddafi and his crimes. Asked whether it would have been better to have put Gaddafi on trial, he said: It is now Gaddafi's fate; he has faced his fate and it is not [an] important matter if he is alive or dead. The final thing, the good thing: we get rid of Gaddafi and his crimes.

The next step: we look forward to building a new Libya as a state of law. He said Mustafa Abndul Jalil would give a statement tonight announcing the liberation of the whole country. When the coutnry is "Stable" all the files relating to Lockerbie and Gaddafi's other crimes will be opened up to the world, he said. 3.46pm: David Cameron just made a statement at Downing Street, saying the Libyan government had confirmed that Gaddafi was dead. He said we should remember the victims of Lockerbie, PC Yvonne Fletcher, and IRA victims killed with semtex provided by Gaddafi's Libya, as well as all the Libyans killed over the last several months. Today is a day to remember the victims. He said he was proud of the role Britian had played in allowing Libya to move towards a democratic future. 3.49pm: WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT. Mobile phone footage claiming to show the dead body of Gaddafi's defence minister, Abu Bakr Yunis, has been broadcast by al-Jazeera Arabic. NTC officials report that Yunis was killed during an attack on a convoy of Gaddafi loyalists.

3.51pm: John McCain, the former US presidential candidate and foreign policy specialist in the Senate, has, urged the US to become more involved in helping Libya. The death of Muammar Gaddafi marks an end to the first phase of the Libyan revolution. While some final fighting continues, the Libyan people have liberated their country. Now the Libyan people can focus all of their immense talents on strengthening their national unity, rebuilding their country and economy, proceeding with their democratic transition, and safeguarding the dignity and human rights of all Libyans. The United States, along with our European allies and Arab partners, must now deepen our support for the Libyan people, as they work to make the next phase of their democratic revolution as successful as the fight to free their country. 3.59pm: My colleague Stuart Millar writes that CNN just ran a video of Hillary Clinton, the American secretary of state, being given the news about Gaddafi in Pakistan. An aide handed her a BlackBerry, she squinted at it, her eyes widened and then she said: "Wow!" 4.00pm: Here's a summary of events so far on a momentous day.

• Muammar Gaddafi, who ruled Libya from 1969 until August this year, has been killed by forces loyal to the country's new government. • Gaddafi, 69, was reportedly found hiding in a drain outside Sirte, where he and and others had taken shelter after their convoy was hit by a Nato airstrike as it attempted to escape. • Graphic video and pictures of the dead dictator have been released. His body was apparently dragged through the streets of Sirte. An NTC spokesman said Gaddafi was shot in the head and in both legs. • Gaddafi was alive when captured and died in an ambulance on the way to Misrata, according to the NTC's UK representative. • Abu Bakr Yunis, the former Libyan defence minister, was killed in the attack on the former dictator's compound, according to the NTC. • Confusion surrounds the fate of other members of Gaddafi's family and inner circle. An NTC representative said up to 17 senior members of the Gaddafi regime have been apprehended or killed.

There have been reports that his sons Mutassim Gaddafi and Saif al-Islam have been killed but other reports say Mutassim has been captured alive and that al-Islam has fled. • Gaddafi's spokesman Moussa Ibrahim and the late dictator's cousin and adviser Ahmed Ibrahim have been captured, according to NTC official Abdel Majid Mlegta. Libya TV, a pro-NTC channel, said that Abd Allah al-Sanusi, a senior Libyan intelligence chief, and Mansour Daw, a Gaddafi aide, were also captured. 4.04pm: More news about Gaddafi's sons: Mutassim is reported to be injured but captured. Saif al-Islam is said to be under attack after fleeing Sirte. Here is the mobile phone footage in full that purports to show Muammar Gaddafi's body in the streets of Sirte.

4.19pm: Here are the full quotes from British prime minister David Cameron, who along with French president Nicolas Sarkozy was one of the early champions of the uprising against Gaddafi and the need for Nato intervention: I think today is a day to remember all of Colonel Gaddafi's victims, from those who died in connection with the Pan Am flight over Lockerbie, to Yvonne Fletcher in a London street, and obviously all the victims of IRA terrorism who died through their use of Libyan semtex. We should also remember the many, many Libyans who died at the hands of this brutal dictator and his regime. People in Libya today have an even greater chance after this news of building themselves a strong and democratic future. I am proud of the role that Britain has played in helping them to bring that about and I pay tribute to the bravery of the Libyans who helped to liberate their country. We will help them, we will work with them and that is what I want to say today. Thank you. 4.33pm: The UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, has just given his reaction: This day marks a historic transition for Libya.

In the coming days we will witness scenes of celebration as well as grief for those who have lost so much. But I recognise that this is only the end of the beginning. The road ahead for Libya will be difficult and full of challenges. Libyans can only realise the promise of the future ...through reconciliation ...This is a time for healing ... not for revenge ... Inclusion and pluralism must be the watchwords. All Libyans must be able to recognise themselves in the nation's government and leadership ... A new UN mission to Libya is on the ground and ready to assist Libya. 4.42pm: The heir to the Libyan throne has spoken out to say that the death of Muammar Gaddafi was a victory for peace, freedom and reform. When Gaddafi took power in 1969 he overthrew Libya's King Idris and the old flag of the Kingdom of Libya has become a symbol of the NTC rebellion. Today Mohammed El Senussi, considered by Libyan royalists to be the heir to the old Libyan throne, issued a statement saying: The flag of freedom is now flying in Sirte and across Libya on this historic day.

People throughout Libya took up arms just eight months ago and in that short time they have been united in their resolve to rid the country of evil … The new Libya must be organised under the rule of law and there is no greater time than right now to demonstrate that commitment by ensuring there are no acts of vengeance against Gaddafi's supporters and that justice is dealt with by the courts. Today begins a new chapter in our history. I look forward now with confidence that the people of Libya will build a future we can all be proud of. Now is the time to put freedom and the sanctity of life at the heart of our society and to put the era of terror and oppression behind us. Senussi, who is based in London, was asked on a previous occasion about the prospect of re-establishing the monarchy in Libya. He reportedly said that he "is a servant to Libyan people, and they decide what they want". 4.43pm: Nato commanders are recommending the Libya air campaign should now be brought to an end, my colleague Julian Borger tells me. The formal decision will be taken tomorrow by the North Atlantic Council, representing Nato member states. Julian just received this comment from a Nato official.

A military assessment of the current situation in Libya and a recommendation for the wrapping up of the Nato operation is on its way to Nato HQ. This will most likely prompt a special meeting of the North Atlantic Council tomorrow to consider the recommendation and decide on the future of the current mission. 5.00pm: This blog is ending, but our live coverage will continue here . Here's a summary of events today: • Muammar Gaddafi, who ruled Libya from 1969 until August this year, has been killed by forces loyal to the country's new government. The Libyan government has confirmed his death. Gaddafi 69, was reportedly found hiding in a drain outside Sirte, where he and and others had taken shelter after their convoy was hit by a Nato airstrike as it attempted to escape. A spokesman for the National Tranisitional Council – Libya's ruling body – said Gaddafi was alive when captured but died in an ambulance on the way to hospital. • Confusion surrounds the fate of other members of Gaddafi's family and inner circle. An NTC representative said up to 17 senior members of the Gaddafi regime have been apprehended or killed.

There have been reports that his sons Mutassim Gaddafi and Saif al-Islam have been killed but other reports say Mutassim has been captured alive and that al-Islam has fled. • Gaddafi's spokesman Moussa Ibrahim and the late dictator's cousin and adviser Ahmed Ibrahim have been captured, according to NTC official Abdel Majid Mlegta. Abu Bakr Yunis, the former Libyan defence minister, was killed in the attack on the former dictator's compound, according to the NTC. Libya TV, a pro-NTC channel, said that Abd Allah al-Sanusi, a senior Libyan intelligence chief, and Mansour Daw, a Gaddafi aide, were also captured. • Graphic video and pictures of the dead dictator have been released. His body was apparently dragged through the streets of Sirte. An NTC spokesman said Gaddafi was shot in the head and in both legs. The footage appears to show Gaddafi's body being transported through Sirte. He has blood around his chest and face. Gaddafi Captured, Killed. – MuhdLawal ￼ Commanders for Libya’s transitional authorities say they have captured ousted leader Col Muammar Gaddafi.

Unconfirmed reports say Col Gaddafi has been killed, and AFP obtained a mobile-phone image apparently showing his face covered in blood. The reports came after transitional forces claimed control of Sirte, Col Gaddafi’s birthplace. The colonel was toppled in August after 42 years in power. The International Criminal Court is seeking his arrest. Nato, which has been running a bombing campaign in Libya for months, said it carried out an air strike earlier on Thursday that hit two pro-Gaddafi vehicles near Sirte. The head of the National Transitional Council, Mustafa Abdul Jalil, is expected to give a national TV address soon. ‘Don’t shoot!’ “He’s captured. He’s wounded in both legs,” National Transitional Council (NTC) official Abdel Majid told Reuters news agency. “He’s been taken away by ambulance.” AFP news agency quoted another NTC official, Mohamed Leith, as saying that Col Gaddafi had been captured in Sirte and was “seriously wounded” but still breathing.

A soldier who says he captured Muammar Gaddafi told the BBC the colonel had shouted: “Don’t shoot!” But NTC official Abdel Majid Mlegta told Reuters news agency that the former leader had been shot in the head and killed as he tried to flee. Reuters also quoted another NTC commander, Abdul Hakim al-Jalil, as saying that Col Gaddafi’s spokesman Moussa Ibrahim had been captured and the head of his armed forces, Abu Bakr Younus Jabr, had been killed. None of the reports has been independently verified. The BBC’s Caroline Hawley in Tripoli says ships and cars have been sounding their horns in the capital and guns are being fired in celebration. Earlier, NTC commanders in Sirte – about 360km (220 miles) east of Tripoli – said the city had been liberated. “There are no Gaddafi forces any more,” Col Yunus al-Abdali told Reuters. “We are now chasing his fighters who are trying to run away.” There was no confirmation from the NTC leadership. But fighters in Sirte celebrated by firing in the air, and chanting “Allah akbar” (“God is great”).

Interim government forces had been facing heavy resistance from snipers in the city, and used heavy artillery during its offensive. Thousands of civilians have fled. The NTC has also suffered heavy casualties in the town of Bani Walid, south-east of Tripoli, in recent weeks. On Monday the NTC said it had captured 90% of the town, including the centre. Rate this: Gaddafi's birthplace 'captured by rebels' in battle for last Libya coast stronghold | World news | The Guardian Libya Gaddafi's birthplace 'captured by rebels' in battle for last Libya coast stronghold Rebels claim control of centre of Sirte after three-pronged attack with Gaddafi's son Khamis said to be barricaded in at sea front Gaddafi's birthplace is believed captured after rebels, like these 25 miles west of the city, advanced in a three pronged attack.

Photograph: Goran Tomasevic/Reuters Libya Gaddafi's birthplace 'captured by rebels' in battle for last Libya coast stronghold Rebels claim control of centre of Sirte after three-pronged attack with Gaddafi's son Khamis said to be barricaded in at sea front Thursday 15 September 2011 16.58 EDT First published on Thursday 15 September 2011 16.58 EDT Close This article is 5 years old Libyan rebels claimed to have captured Sirte, the birthplace of Muammar Gaddafi and the last of his coastal strongholds. The city was said to have fallen after an attack involving 900 "technicals" – armed pickup trucks – that attacked loyalist positions from three directions. "Thwar Misrata (the Misrata revolution) now control the entrances to Sirte city," said a statement from the Misrata military council. The council, which controlled the operation, said the attack began at dawn on Thursday with an assault on the front line, 30 miles west of the city.

Gaddafi loyalists resisted with artillery, mortars and long-range grad rockets, but frontline positions collapsed in the early afternoon and rebel units surged eastwards towards the city. More street fighting followed in the city, but by nightfall rebel units said they were in control of Sirte centre and the exit roads, and were "combing" urban areas for key Gaddafi officials believed to be in hiding. Pockets of resistance remained, with loyalist forces surrounded in the city centre headquarters of an insurance company. Units of the 32nd brigade, commanded by Gaddafi's son Khamis, were reported to be barricaded into a line of villas along the Sirte beachfront. Nato reported destroying eight targets on Wednesday night part of a bombing campaign that has seen it strike 292 targets, including tanks, ammunition dumps, command centres and barracks, in the past three weeks. Alliance jets were in the air during the battle though it is not known if they struck targets today. Nato is also anxious to get the war over, as its mandate runs out on 27 September, and France and the UK would prefer to have the war finished by then, rather than ask for an extension in what has proved a controversial operation.

Sirte, built near the site of the ancient Phoenician city of Macomedes-Euphranta, is one of Gaddafi's key military hubs. The coastal city was first targeted on 20 March, the second day of the air war, when American B2 stealth bombers destroyed 45 hardened aircraft shelters at Gardabya airport, which also served as a military airbase. Rebel forces reported two fighters killed and five more wounded, but said the figure may rise as casualties return to bases and hospitals in Misrata, 150 miles to the west. A Sirte rebel, who escaped the town on Monday to join opposition forces, told the Guardian that any attacking force must cope with the hostility of the Gaddafi tribe who remain loyal to the former Libyan leader and have formed bands of militias. The conquest, if confirmed, represents a major victory for Libya's rebels; symbolically it is the crushing of Gaddafi's authority. More practically, it opens the main east-west coastal highway, allowing the Benghazi-based National Transitional Council to move by road to the capital, Tripoli.

British PM and French president receive enthusiastic welcome in Tripoli less than a month after Gaddafi was toppled Published: 15 Sep 2011 The British and French leaders were welcomed by Libyans and gave a press conference with Mustafa Abdul Jalil from the National Transitional Council Published: 15 Sep 2011 Massive security operation mounted as Cameron and Sarkozy become first world leaders to visit capital post-Gaddafi Published: 15 Sep 2011 Sir Richard Dearlove tells thinktank how cabinet allowed agents to return Gaddafi opponents to Libya where they were tortured Published: 15 Sep 2011 Colonel Gaddafi captured and killed « Human rights investigations Colonel Gaddafi captured and killed Colonel Gaddafi captured and killed October 20, 2011 — 21 Comments Muammar al-Gaddafi 1942-2011. Photo OAU 1975 Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi was reportedly captured and shot dead 20 October. As the evidence below shows the Libyan leader and his son Mutassim were summarily executed by the rebels, sharing the fate of so many Libyans in this conflict.

NATO involvement NATO have said that a French jet bombed 2 military vehicles in a convoy leaving the area of Sirte at 8.30 am local time. Other reports from the USA suggest a predator drone was involved. In addition, “Sky sources” claim that the RAF was involved in seriously injuring Saif al-Islam, also in Sirte. Reports suggest that the convoy which attempted to break out of Sirte consisted of around 75 vehicles and most of the occupants were killed, either in the air strikes, by AA guns fired by the rebels or by summary execution after being captured and in some cases put on display. Captive on display in a thoroughly destroyed Sirte NATO issued a statement about the incident saying: At approximately 08h30 local time (GMT+2) on Thursday 20 October 2011, NATO aircraft struck 11 pro-Qadhafi military vehicles which were part of a larger group of approximately 75 vehicles manoeuvring in the vicinity of Sirte. These armed vehicles were leaving Sirte at high speed and were attempting to force their way around the outskirts of the city. The vehicles were carrying a substantial amount of weapons and ammunition posing a significant threat to the local civilian population.

The convoy was engaged by a NATO aircraft to reduce the threat. Initially, only one vehicle was destroyed, which disrupted the convoy and resulted in many vehicles dispersing and changing direction. After the disruption, a group of approximately 20 vehicles continued at great speed to proceed in a southerly direction, due west of Sirte, and continuing to pose a significant threat. NATO engaged these vehicles with another air asset. The post strike assessment revealed that approximately 10 pro-Qadhafi vehicles were destroyed or damaged. At the time of the strike, NATO did not know that Qadhafi was in the convoy. NATO’s intervention was conducted solely to reduce the threat towards the civilian population, as required to do under our UN mandate. As a matter of policy, NATO does not target individuals. We later learned from open sources and Allied intelligence that Qadhafi was in the convoy and that the strike likely contributed to his capture. NATO does not divulge specific information on national assets involved in operations. Human Rights Watch visited the site where Muammar Gaddafi was captured, and found the remains of at least 95 people who had apparently died that day.

The vast majority had apparently died in the fighting and NATO strikes prior to Gaddafi’s capture, but between six and ten of the dead appear to have been executed at the site with gunshot wounds to the head and body. The death of Muammar Gaddafi Video evidence shows Muammar Gaddafi was alive, although perhaps injured, when captured and surrounded by a rebel mob: The last words of Colonel Gaddafi on the video were “This is wrong, this is against Islamic law,” and then he said to his abusers: “Do you know right from wrong?” More mobile phone footage makes it clear that he has been shot shortly after he was captured. This graphic footage shows him wiping the blood from his eye: And this footage, taken on another phone, shows a gun being brandished in Muammar Gaddafi’s face: Now new footage shows the scene of the leader’s last moments and those on the scene more clearly: Yet more horrific footage: New video shows a clearer view of the whole scene: Other footage shown on the International Business Times site indicates that Gaddafi was sodomised with an object shortly after being captured. Muammar Gaddafi’s body was taken to Misrata.

It has become pretty standard practice for the rebels to kill their prisoners, particularly those with darker skin, a trend set in the early days when prisoners were massacred and the crime blamed on loyalist forces to provide propaganda for a NATO intervention. Evidence seems to be emerging about the precise motivations for the killers, including a claim (which hasn’t been verified) by rebel Samad Al Saleh Al Arabi ( (Sanad al-Sadek al-Ureibi?) to have shot Gaddafi after disagreeing with the decision to take him to Misrata. Rebel eyewitnesses in Sirte claimed to Sky News that they shot Gaddafi in the stomach with a 9mm revolver. The late assertion by the NTC that Gaddafi was killed by a shot to the head during a firefight between the rebels and his supporters after he had been loaded onto a vehicle on the way to hospital is typical of the attitude of the rebels toward the truth.

Mutassim Gaddafi alive after capture Muammar’s son, Mutassim Gaddafi was captured at the same time as his father and video shows him still alive after capture, drinking water and smoking a cigarette: and also in this video: NTC statements regarding Mutassim’s death On the death of Mutassim the Mahmoud Jibril said: “As for Mutassim there is a wound in the head and a break in the skull and five bullets in the back and one in the neck.” Mohamed Leith, an NTC field commander, told AFP: “We found him dead. We put his body and that of (former defence minister) Abu Bakr Yunis in an ambulance to take them to Misrata,” Here is graphic video footage showing Mutassim’s body after he was killed, with rebels celebrating. There is a serious wound to his upper chest which was not there in the earlier video: The abuse of corpses Muammar Gaddafi’s body was later filmed being dragged through the streets of Misrata and then put on display in a supermarket freezer in Misrata for people to photograph with their mobile phones.

This is a familiar scene for those who have watched earlier rebel atrocities, some documented by HRI, such as the lynchings at the rebel HQ in Benghazi . others too appalling to show. The killing of captives and abuse of corpses are war crimes ; ones which have been practiced on a large scale by the Libyan rebels, since the beginning of the rebellion, with the full approval and participation of their leadership as we have seen in numerous videos including this one: According to a rebel commander, the news of her father’s death was broken to Aisha Gaddafi in the following fashion: ‘Aisha called her father’s satellite phone and one of the revolutionaries who had captured him answered her, he said, “It’s over. Abu Shafshufa died.”‘ (Abu Shafshufa being an insulting term with various translations including old crazy hair, old fuzzhead or old afro hair).

(update 25/10) The bodies of Muammar Gaddafi, Mutassim Gaddafi and Abu Bakr Younis were removed from the market where they had been displayed on Tuesday 25th and reportedly buried at night in a secret, unmarked grave in the desert, much against the laws of Islam – but in accordance with Libyan rebel practice. The laws of War Under Rule 47. Attacking persons who are recognized as hors de combat is prohibited. A person hors de combat is: (a) anyone who is in the power of an adverse party; (b) anyone who is defenceless because of unconsciousness, shipwreck, wounds or sickness; or (c) anyone who clearly expresses an intention to surrender; provided he or she abstains from any hostile act and does not attempt to escape. Regarding the treatment of dead bodies: Rule 115. The dead must be disposed of in a respectful manner and their graves respected and properly maintained. [IAC/NIAC] In the case of Muammar and Mutassim Gaddafi the bodies should be treated with respect, in accordance with Islamic custom.

Reaction of human rights bodies Amnesty International and the United Nations Human Rights Office have said that it is essential to conduct a full, independent and impartial inquiry to establish the circumstances of Colonel al-Gaddafi’s death but the current international practice, of course, is one law for NATO’s adversaries and no law for NATO and its proxies. It has been reported that, according to Mahmoud Jibril the International Criminal Court initially asked that one of its forensic investigators be allowed to examine Muammar’s body but then decided to accept the post-mortem report provided by the NTC. Hillary Clinton the US Secretary of State, in imperious mood, reportedly quipped “We came, we saw, he died.” Lessons for human rights activists The barbaric deaths of Muammar and his son at the hands of the NATO-backed rebels are only a surprise to those who have depended on the mainstream media and the NATO propaganda machine for their information on this conflict. There needs to be a full inquiry by human rights activists into how the media, people across the political spectrum and humanitarian organisations were hijacked into supporting or remaining silent in the face of the NATO bombing campaign, the ethnic cleaning and atrocities committed against black people and the subversion of democratic, civilised discourse which the Libyan conflict marks.

(updated 21,22,23,24,25,27 October) News: Muammar Gaddafi killed in Libya News: Muammar Gaddafi killed in Libya Time: 2011-10-21; 20 October 2011 Last updated at 21:02 GMT BBC Muammar Gaddafi killed in Libya Amateur video of Col Gaddafi shortly before he was killed Wild celebrations Libya's ex-leader Col Muammar Gaddafi has been killed after an assault on his birthplace of Sirte, officials say. Acting Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril announced the death, and later said the colonel had been killed in a crossfire between Gaddafi loyalists and fighters from the transitional authorities. He confirmed that Col Gaddafi had been taken alive, but died of bullet wounds minutes before reaching hospital. Video footage suggests he was also dragged through the streets. It is unclear from the footage, broadcast by al-Jazeera TV, whether he was alive or dead at the time. US President Barack Obama said it was a "momentous day" for Libya, now that tyranny had fallen.

He said the country had a "long and winding road towards full democracy", but the US and other countries would stand behind Tripoli. Col Gaddafi was toppled from power in August after 42 years in charge of the country. Golden gun He was fighting his last stand in Sirte alongside two of his sons, Mutassim and Saif al-Islam, according to reports. At the scene Rana Jawad BBC News, Tripoli Residents swarmed the streets of the capital, waving flags and cheering from the windows of their cars. Tripoli's myriad of streets in various districts has been gridlocked for hours. People and fighters manning checkpoints shouted out "God is Great", as some distributed mints and biscuits - later dubbed "revolutionary treats" - to passing cars. There are many who will be wondering "what next?" for Libya as it embarks on a new era unobtainable for almost half a century. But for many Libyans tonight, it is a time to rejoice. Wild celebrations across Tripoli Acting Justice Minister Mohammad al-Alagi told the AP news agency Saif al-Islam had been captured and taken to hospital with a leg wound.

A corpse that officials identified as that of Mutassim has been laid out in a house in the city of Misrata, where locals have been queuing to take pictures. The body of Col Gaddafi has also reportedly been taken to Misrata. Nato, which has been running a bombing campaign in Libya for months, said it had carried out an air strike earlier on Thursday. French Defence Minister Gerard Longuet said French jets had fired warning shots to halt a convoy carrying Col Gaddafi as it tried to flee Sirte. He said Libyan fighters had then descended and taken the colonel. Proof of Col Gaddafi's fate came in grainy pieces of video, first circulated among fighters, and then broadcast by international news channels. The first images showed a bloodied figure presumed to be Col Gaddafi. Later, video emerged of the colonel being bundled on to the back of a pick-up truck after being captured alive. None of the video footage has been independently verified. Al-Jazeera TV broadcast footage it says showed Col Gaddafi's body Mr Jibril, number two in the National Transitional Council (NTC), held a news conference in Tripoli to confirm the colonel's death. "We have been waiting for this moment for a long time.

Muammar Gaddafi has been killed," he said. Later, he told journalists that a "forensic report" had concluded that the colonel had died from bullet wounds after he had been captured and driven away. "When the car was moving it was caught in crossfire between the revolutionaries and Gaddafi forces in which he was hit by a bullet in the head," said Mr Jibril, quoting from the report. "The forensic doctor could not tell if it came from the revolutionaries or from Gaddafi's forces." Earlier, some NTC fighters gave a different account of the colonel's death, saying he had been shot when he tried to escape. One NTC fighter told the BBC that he found Col Gaddafi hiding in a hole, and the former leader had begged him not to shoot. The fighter showed reporters a golden pistol he said he had taken from Col Gaddafi. Arabic TV channels showed images of troops surrounding two large drainage pipes where the reporters said Col Gaddafi was found. 'Full of challenges' Libyans gathered in towns and cities across the country to celebrate the reports of the colonel's death.

The BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse has visited the drain where Col Gaddafi was reportedly found by NTC forces Groups of young men fired guns in the air, and drivers honked horns in celebration. His death came after weeks of fierce fighting for Sirte, one of the last remaining pockets of resistance. World leaders urged the NTC to carry through its promise to reform the country. UK Prime Minister David Cameron, who had taken a leading role in Nato's intervention, said it was "a day to remember all of Col Gaddafi's victims". UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called it a "historic" moment, but warned: "The road ahead for Libya and its people will be difficult and full of challenges." Officials said the NTC intended to announce the "liberation of the country" in the coming days, allowing them to begin pushing through democratic reforms that will lead to elections.

Links: Libya's Col Muammar Gaddafi killed, says NTC - BBC News BBC News Libya's Col Muammar Gaddafi killed, says NTC 20 October 2011 Close share panel Media captionAmateur video of Col Gaddafi shortly before he was killed Libya's ex-leader Col Muammar Gaddafi has been killed after an assault on his birthplace of Sirte, officials say. Acting Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril announced the death, and later said the colonel had been killed in a crossfire between Gaddafi loyalists and fighters from the transitional authorities. He confirmed that Col Gaddafi had been taken alive, but died of bullet wounds minutes before reaching hospital. Video footage suggests he was also dragged through the streets. It is unclear from the footage, broadcast by al-Jazeera TV, whether he was alive or dead at the time. US President Barack Obama said it was a "momentous day" for Libya, now that tyranny had fallen. He said the country had a "long and winding road towards full democracy", but the US and other countries would stand behind Tripoli. Col Gaddafi was toppled from power in August after 42 years in charge of the country.

Golden gun He was fighting his last stand in Sirte alongside two of his sons, Mutassim and Saif al-Islam, according to reports. At the scene By Rana JawadBBC News, Tripoli Residents swarmed the streets of the capital, waving flags and cheering from the windows of their cars. Tripoli's myriad of streets in various districts has been gridlocked for hours. People and fighters manning checkpoints shouted out "God is Great", as some distributed mints and biscuits - later dubbed "revolutionary treats" - to passing cars. There are many who will be wondering "what next?" for Libya as it embarks on a new era unobtainable for almost half a century. But for many Libyans tonight, it is a time to rejoice. Wild celebrations across Tripoli Acting Justice Minister Mohammad al-Alagi told the AP news agency Saif al-Islam had been captured and taken to hospital with a leg wound. A corpse that officials identified as that of Mutassim has been laid out in a house in the city of Misrata, where locals have been queuing to take pictures. The body of Col Gaddafi has also reportedly been taken to Misrata.

Nato, which has been running a bombing campaign in Libya for months, said it had carried out an air strike earlier on Thursday. French Defence Minister Gerard Longuet said French jets had fired warning shots to halt a convoy carrying Col Gaddafi as it tried to flee Sirte. He said Libyan fighters had then descended and taken the colonel. Proof of Col Gaddafi's fate came in grainy pieces of video, first circulated among fighters, and then broadcast by international news channels. The first images showed a bloodied figure presumed to be Col Gaddafi. Later, video emerged of the colonel being bundled on to the back of a pick-up truck after being captured alive. None of the video footage has been independently verified. Image caption Al-Jazeera TV broadcast footage it says showed Col Gaddafi's body Mr Jibril, number two in the National Transitional Council (NTC), held a news conference in Tripoli to confirm the colonel's death. "We have been waiting for this moment for a long time. Muammar Gaddafi has been killed," he said. Later, he told journalists that a "forensic report" had concluded that the colonel had died from bullet wounds after he had been captured and driven away.

"When the car was moving it was caught in crossfire between the revolutionaries and Gaddafi forces in which he was hit by a bullet in the head," said Mr Jibril, quoting from the report. "The forensic doctor could not tell if it came from the revolutionaries or from Gaddafi's forces." Earlier, some NTC fighters gave a different account of the colonel's death, saying he had been shot when he tried to escape. One NTC fighter told the BBC that he found Col Gaddafi hiding in a hole, and the former leader had begged him not to shoot. The fighter showed reporters a golden pistol he said he had taken from Col Gaddafi. Arabic TV channels showed images of troops surrounding two large drainage pipes where the reporters said Col Gaddafi was found. 'Full of challenges' Libyans gathered in towns and cities across the country to celebrate the reports of the colonel's death. Media captionThe BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse has visited the drain where Col Gaddafi was reportedly found by NTC forces Groups of young men fired guns in the air, and drivers honked horns in celebration. His death came after weeks of fierce fighting for Sirte, one of the last remaining pockets of resistance.

World leaders urged the NTC to carry through its promise to reform the country. UK Prime Minister David Cameron, who had taken a leading role in Nato's intervention, said it was "a day to remember all of Col Gaddafi's victims". UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called it a "historic" moment, but warned: "The road ahead for Libya and its people will be difficult and full of challenges." Officials said the NTC intended to announce the "liberation of the country" in the coming days, allowing them to begin pushing through democratic reforms that will lead to elections. Libyan forces 'capture Gaddafi' - BBC News BBC News Read more about sharing. Close share panel Media captionThe BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse in Sirte: "I saw one man with very blood-stained clothes saying that he was the person (who killed Col Gaddafi)" Commanders for Libya's transitional authorities say they have captured ousted leader Col Muammar Gaddafi. Unconfirmed reports say Col Gaddafi has been killed, and AFP obtained a mobile-phone image apparently showing his face covered in blood. The reports came after transitional forces claimed control of Sirte, Col Gaddafi's birthplace.

The colonel was toppled in August after 42 years in power. The International Criminal Court is seeking his arrest. Nato, which has been running a bombing campaign in Libya for months, said it carried out an air strike earlier on Thursday that hit two pro-Gaddafi vehicles near Sirte. The head of the National Transitional Council (NTC) Mustafa Abdul Jalil is expected to give a national TV address soon. Information Minister Mahmoud Shammam says fighters on the ground have told him that Col Gaddafi is dead. 'Don't shoot!' Earlier, another NTC official told Reuters news agency: "He's captured. He's wounded in both legs." At the scene By Gabriel GatehouseBBC News, Sirte If the reports of Col Gaddafi's capture are true, then Mohammed al-Bibi is the man of the moment. Brandishing a golden pistol which he said belonged to Colonel Gaddafi he was hoisted up onto the shoulders of his comrades. "Allah akbar" (God is great), they chanted as they unleashed volleys into the air. Mohammed, a fighter in his 20s, wearing a New York Yankees baseball cap, said he had found the colonel hiding in a hole in the ground.

He told the BBC that the former Libyan leader said to him simply: "Don't shoot". Rebel fighters say the colonel has been taken by ambulance to Misrata. If this is the case and the rest of Sirte has indeed fallen then it will mark a turning point for Libyan revolution - the point at which it will be hoped, the fighting ends and the political process begins. "He's been taken away by ambulance." AFP news agency quoted another NTC official, Mohamed Leith, as saying that Col Gaddafi had been captured in Sirte and was "seriously wounded" but still breathing. A soldier who says he captured Muammar Gaddafi told the BBC the colonel had shouted: "Don't shoot!" But NTC official Abdel Majid Mlegta told Reuters news agency that the former leader had been shot in the head and killed as he tried to flee. Reuters also quoted another NTC commander, Abdul Hakim al-Jalil, as saying that Col Gaddafi's spokesman Moussa Ibrahim had been captured and the head of his armed forces, Abu Bakr Younus Jabr, had been killed. None of the reports has been independently verified.

The BBC's Caroline Hawley in Tripoli says ships and cars have been sounding their horns in the capital and guns are being fired in celebration. Earlier, NTC commanders in Sirte - about 360km (220 miles) east of Tripoli - said the city had been liberated. Image caption An image from a mobile phone apparently showing Col Muammar Gaddafi wounded "There are no Gaddafi forces any more," Col Yunus al-Abdali told Reuters. "We are now chasing his fighters who are trying to run away." There was no confirmation from the NTC leadership. But fighters in Sirte celebrated by firing in the air, and chanting "Allah akbar" ("God is great"). Interim government forces had been facing heavy resistance from snipers in the city, and used heavy artillery during its offensive. Thousands of civilians have fled. The NTC has also suffered heavy casualties in the town of Bani Walid, south-east of Tripoli, in recent weeks. On Monday the NTC said it had captured 90% of the town, including the centre.

Muammar Gaddafi | theRevolutionCenter.com Muammar Gaddafi Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi Born in 1941 – killed October 20, 2011. Muammar Gaddafi – Dictator click for larger image Gaddafi ruled Libya from September 1, 1969 until the day of his death, October 20, 2011. As a Libyan politician and political theorist, Gaddafi was a highly controversial and divisive world figure. His supporters lauded him as a champion of anti-imperialism along with his support of both Arab and African nationalism. Gaddafi’s critics accused him of being a dictator and autocrat, whose authoritarian administration oversaw multiple human rights abuses at home and abroad. Early Years The exact date of Muammar Abu Meniar el-Gaddafi’s birth is unknown. Some sources say June 1, others June 7, while still others say sometime in September. Gaddafi was born in the North African desert in the north central part of Libya, south of Sirte.

Commissioned into the Libyan army in 1965, Gaddafi began planning for the overthrow of the Libyan monarch, King Idris, whom he considered a pawn of the Western European nations. Within four years, Gaddafi, with the rank of colonel, took control of the army. On September 1, 1969, he seized power in a bloodless coup. Ruling years Gaddafi and the rebels won their coup and put a new government in place. In 1977, the government changed again, and even though Gaddafi was the undisputed leader, he retained his position as a “symbolic figure”. Gaddafi refused to acknowledge the phrase President. Instead he styled himself as Leader of the Revolution, Bedouin warrior, Brother Leader. In 2008, Gaddafi named himself the ‘King of Kings in Africa’ as part of his campaign to unite the states of Africa into a United States of Africa. He also has never corrected the different ways to spell Gaddafi. Qaddhafi (New York Review of Books), Qaddafi (New Republic), Gaddafi (Time), Kaddafi (Newsweek), Khadafy (Maclean’s), Qadhafi (U.S.

News & World Report), Qadaffi (Business Week), Gaddafi (World Press Review), the list just goes on. To date there are well over 100 variations in the spelling of his name. Know for his eccentricities worldwide, Gaddafi traveled with an escort of female bodyguards. To show that he was a man of the people he never stayed in a hotel when he traveled or met with world dignitaries. Instead, he would pitch his luxurious tent wherever it suited him. When in 2011, after the February 17 movement removed him from power, many Libyans were amazed at the luxurious homes where he in reality lived. During his time in power, there were many attempts to assassinate him. Gaddafi was implicated in the financing of anti-western groups, including several terror plots. The Black Panther Party, Nation of Islam, and the Irish Republican Army all allegedly had links to Muammar Gaddafi. Due of Libya’s links to Irish terrorism, the United Kingdom cut off diplomatic relations with Libya for more than a decade.

In 1988, Libya was implicated in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, carrying 270 people, when it exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland. Although Gaddafi always denied his involvement, now that he is dead many are coming forward saying that he was complicit. On a comical note, Gaddafi had an infatuation with Condoleezza Rice. While Condi has described it as creepy, to the rest of the world it was nothing short of hysterical. February 17 Revolution In early 2011, the February 17 protest movement started over Gaddafi’s leadership role in Libya. Inspired by the revolt that happened next door in Tunisia, Libyans at first protested their countries lack of democracy. Gaddafi did not intend to allow democracy to his country, and as he lost the trust of more and more Libyans, he threatened to destroy the protest movement. His words at the time were that the protesters were like rats and he would deal with them, “City by city, alley by alley, house by house.” On March 17, 2011, the UN called for a no-fly zone in Libya to protect the citizens from massacre.

By the fall of 2011, rebel protesters pushed into Tripoli and yet Gaddafi still did not cede power. On October 20, 2011, while still in denial, Gaddafi was captured and killed tying to escape his hometown of Sirte. Leave a Reply

Question: In which Libyan city, his birthplace, was Colonel Gaddafi captured and killed in October 2011?
Answer: SIRTE