October 20, 2011 8:29 AM

Clinton says Qaddafi capture would be significant, can't confirm

By
Corbett B. Daly
Topics
Foreign Policy ,
Obama Administration ,
Libya
In this March 8, 2011, file photo, Libyan strongman Muammar Qaddafi arrives at the Rixos hotel in the capital of Tripoli.

In this March 8, 2011, Muammar Qaddafi arrives at the Rixos hotel in the capital of Tripoli.

(Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

Updated 8:55 a.m. ET

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Thursday that the capture of deposed Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi would be a significant development in Libya if it proves true, but she could not confirm a Reuters report saying rebels had captured and wounded him.

Clinton also said she did not expect his capture would end the fighting there in an interview in Afghanistan with CBS News correspondent Whit Johnson.

Reuters reported Qaddafi was captured near his hometown of Sirte at dawn on Thursday as he tried to flee in a convoy which NATO warplanes attacked, citing National Transitional Council official Abdel Majid.

Later, reports surfaced that Qaddafi had been killed, but those are unconfirmed as well.

The senior NTC military official told Reuters by telephone that the head of Gaddafi's armed forces Abu Bakr Younus Jabr had been killed during the capture of the Libyan ex-leader.


  • Corbett B. Daly

    Corbett B. Daly is CBSNews.com's deputy politics editor.

Add a Comment
by oldman67 October 20, 2011 11:57 AM EDT
Wishful thinking! That Clinton was closer to the fighting.
Reply to this comment
by garddthetruth October 20, 2011 10:34 AM EDT
Capture? Just yesterday she was telling Lybia to kill him.
Reply to this comment
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