Libya's Col Muammar Gaddafi killed, says NTC
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 gunHe was fighting his last stand in Sirte alongside two of his sons, Mutassim and Saif al-Islam, according to reports.
At the scene
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.
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.
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.
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.
Comment number 167.
Globalcricket20th October 2011 - 15:08
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 166.
SCC20th October 2011 - 15:08
Does this mean Libya gets their "quarenteened" money back or has that all been used up in the "Global Debt Crisis" ?
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Comment number 165.
shaneooo20th October 2011 - 15:08
It is a great victory for africa
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Comment number 164.
newsnight109820th October 2011 - 15:03
I like that the NATO comment was fired in there slightly so America can try get some credit from this!!
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Comment number 163.
BigFacedBoy20th October 2011 - 15:03
69. Steve9112 "I think this is a nice clean start to the new Libyan society"
There's nothing nice or clean about any of this.
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Comment number 162.
Paul J Weighell20th October 2011 - 15:02
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Comment number 161.
Diplodinmatic20th October 2011 - 15:02
Regardless of the man, I find any death at the hands of another to be a sorrowful and regretful moment. Qaddafi is no exception to this; after all, he was still a human being. Besides, the world, and the Libyan people, will be better served if he lives to stand trial in a court of law and pay for his crimes.
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Comment number 160.
Peace20th October 2011 - 15:02
One gone... few are still around.....Specially SriLankan President Mahinda Rajapaksha who is Gadaffi's best mate. When is the world going to punish Rajapaksha for massacring innocent civilians in SriLanka.
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Comment number 159.
Richard20th October 2011 - 15:02
Gadaffi dead! looks like a dead Sirte
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Comment number 158.
snarlygronkit20th October 2011 - 15:02
Ah, we shall soon see then how democratic the NTC actually are then?
Hard line Islamic fundamentalism anyone?
The folly of Cameron Sarkozy et al will soon be exposed.
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Comment number 157.
Diogenes-NFFC20th October 2011 - 15:01
I wonder which country in that region will be destabilised next,as the west will continue to do their bosses bidding militarily,in order to maintain their oft quoted mantra of "We're the only democracy in the region".
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Comment number 156.
Ben Robinson20th October 2011 - 15:07
No doubt Mr Blair will be relieved Gaddafi wasn't captured and tried.
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Comment number 155.
Unknown177620th October 2011 - 15:07
First: the people of Libya themselves (as embodied by the NTC and their military services, which are comprised of the people) decided the path of Gaddhafi. If they killed him, that's their wish and I frankly could care less about it; he was a horrible man that ruled with an iron fist, would hang people in squares and force the population of that town to drive by them as a demonsttration of power
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Comment number 154.
jk2007x20th October 2011 - 15:07
Its about time a dictator was dealt with in the proper way. This is much more preferable to handing him over to the imbecils at The Hague and them dragging a trial out for 10 years only to have him die of old age.
May he rest in torment-
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Comment number 153.
SpeakerOfTruth20th October 2011 - 15:06
For all those people who are saying it was easier to just kill him take a good look at yourself. What type of society are we moving to where the perception created by mainstream media is enough to decide whether a man lives or dies.
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Comment number 152.
deliaComment number 152 is an Editors' Pick
20th October 2011 - 15:06
he said he would die for his country He was a strange leader, but I believe he loved his country. I feel so sad that his rule turned into one so filled with fear and death and because of this his own people rose up against him. I hope for the Best for Libya as it is a good country with good people.... RIP Gaddafi may people also remember you for the good that you did and not only for the bad!
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Comment number 151.
John Allen20th October 2011 - 15:06
Will anything change here or there .... I doubt it.
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Comment number 150.
Colin20th October 2011 - 15:05
A Sad day indeed! I have no love for Muammar Gaddafi, but the fact that a 'Western Backed Coup' perpetrated by 'Western Backed Al-Queda' has destroyed what was fast becoming the 'Jewel of Africa' is a terrible thing. They had free healthcare, free education, nationalized resources etc...Now 'Western Backed Corporations' will bleed the country dry, capitalizing off it's Oil, Water, Ports, People
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Comment number 149.
PT847520th October 2011 - 15:04
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Comment number 148.
IsaacKipkoech20th October 2011 - 15:04
Was he killed?? NO!! he committed suicide by inviting his own death. He was a total loser and he got what he wanted. A strong message to African despots and election thieves. Mugabe please watch your back!
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