Libya celebrates Gaddafi downfall
- 13 years ago
Former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi died of wounds suffered on Thursday as fighters battling to complete an eight-month-old uprising against his rule overran his hometown Sirte, Libya's interim rulers said.
His killing, which came swiftly after his capture near Sirte, is the most dramatic single development in the Arab Spring revolts that have unseated rulers in Egypt and Tunisia and threatened the grip on power of the leaders of Syria and Yemen.
National Transitional Council official Abdel Majid Mlegta told Reuters that Gaddafi had died, though there was no independent confirmation of his remarks.
In Sirte, joyous anti-Gaddafi fighters confirmed the capture of the city.
"Now there are no more Gaddafi forces on our land. Sirte is fully liberated. What is taking place now is capturing a few stray elements, as you would go after a common criminal or someone like that," said one fighter.
"Thank God they have caught this person. In one hour, Sirte was liberated, in one hour, Sirte was liberated," added another.
Muammar Gaddafi's capture followed within minutes of the fall of Sirte, a development that extinguished the last significant resistance by forces loyal to the deposed leader.
The capture of Sirte and the death of Gaddafi means Libya's ruling NTC should now begin the task of forging a new democratic system which it had said it would get under way after the city, built as a showpiece for Gaddafi's rule, had fallen.
His killing, which came swiftly after his capture near Sirte, is the most dramatic single development in the Arab Spring revolts that have unseated rulers in Egypt and Tunisia and threatened the grip on power of the leaders of Syria and Yemen.
National Transitional Council official Abdel Majid Mlegta told Reuters that Gaddafi had died, though there was no independent confirmation of his remarks.
In Sirte, joyous anti-Gaddafi fighters confirmed the capture of the city.
"Now there are no more Gaddafi forces on our land. Sirte is fully liberated. What is taking place now is capturing a few stray elements, as you would go after a common criminal or someone like that," said one fighter.
"Thank God they have caught this person. In one hour, Sirte was liberated, in one hour, Sirte was liberated," added another.
Muammar Gaddafi's capture followed within minutes of the fall of Sirte, a development that extinguished the last significant resistance by forces loyal to the deposed leader.
The capture of Sirte and the death of Gaddafi means Libya's ruling NTC should now begin the task of forging a new democratic system which it had said it would get under way after the city, built as a showpiece for Gaddafi's rule, had fallen.