Post date: Oct 20, 2011 2:57:52 PM
The ousted ruler of Libya, Muammar al-Gaddafi has been killed by rebels, the Libya's National Council confirms.
BENGHAZI, LIBYA (OCTOBER 20, 2011) REUTERS - The vice chairman of Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) confirmed that ousted leader Muammar Gaddafi had been killed on Thursday (October 20) and said the
interim government would announce the liberation of Libya "within hours".
That would be a landmark announcement, after which the interim government has said it would begin the transition to democracy in the North African state ruled by Gaddafi with an iron fist for 42 years until August.
"I welcome everybody at this historical moment. I would like to announce to our sons and daughters and to entire world the following news; the news of the end of tyranny and dictatorship in Libya that will never return again, after our revolutionaries managed to get the head of the tyrant, who has met his fate and destiny like all dictators and tyrants." Abdel Hafiz Ghoga said at a news conference in Benghazi, "I'm announcing to the world the killing of Gaddafi by the hands of the revolutionaries and the chapter of Gaddafi and his tyranny has been closed," he said.
Gaddafi was killed on Thursday as Libya's new leaders declared they had overrun the last bastion of his long rule, sparking wild celebrations that eight months of war may finally be over.
Details of the death near Sirte of the fallen strongman were hazy but it was announced by several officials of the NTC and backed up by a photograph of a bloodied face ringed by familiar, Gaddafi-style curly hair.
Western powers, who have backed the rebellion which took the capital Tripoli two months ago, said they were still checking.
NATO said its aircraft fired on a convoy near Sirte earlier, but would not confirm reports that Gaddafi had been a passenger.
Several NTC fighters in Sirte said they had seen Gaddafi shot dead, though their accounts varied.
Libyan television has announced NTC chairman Mustafa Abdel Jalil was about to address the nation.
The two months since the fall of Tripoli have tested the nerves of the motley alliance of anti-Gaddafi forces and their Western and Arab backers, who had begun to question the ability of the NTC forces to root out diehard Gaddafi loyalists in Sirte and a couple of other towns.
Officials said some of Gaddafi's entourage had been killed in the same incident, while his son Mo'tassim and other aides were taken prisoner. Another son, Saif -- long the heir-apparent -- was believed by the NTC to be still at large, possibly in the immense southern deserts of the Libyan Sahara.