People Celebrate Qaddafi's Demise

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People Celebrate Qaddafi's Demise

International news agencies released on Thursday the news that colonel Muammar al-Qaddafi, former leader of Libya, was wounded during an attempt to escape the embattled city of Sirte by a NATO airstrike. Qaddafi was captured by the National Transitional Council forces later and died of the wounds, a NTC official announced. Reports have not been confirmed yet independently by the news agencies and the cause of death is presented rather conflictingly by members of NTC themselves.

Thus, some say he was killed by the airstrike of the NATO’s troops, while others say he was killed during the fire trade with the rebels as his convoy was leaving Sirte.

NTC official Abdel Mlegta told Reuters early in the day that Qaddafi was captured and wounded in both legs at dawn on Thursday, as he was trying to flee in a convoy attacked by the airplanes. He said he was taken away in an ambulance. Later, Mlegta added he had been hit also in his head.

According to an anti-Qaddafi fighter the former president was found in a hole in the ground, and shouted “Do not shoot!” to the man that discovered him.

An NTC official said that the lifeless body of the former dictator is being taken to a secret location for security reasons, Israeli Haaretz newspaper reports.

NATO said it was working to confirm the reports on Qaddafi’s demise, and that it would take some time until the confirmation would be without doubt. Obama administration is also working to confirm the reports in the field.

The former spokesman of the government, Moussa Ibrahim was captured in Sirte, and the chief of his army is reported dead in the clashes in the restive city.

The death of Muammar al Qaddafi, if confirmed, is the most tragic development for the dictators toppled by the Arab Spring, considering neither Hosni Mubarak or Ben Ali suffered such a fate.

Television in Libya showed the crowds in the streets of the country celebrating the fall of Sirte, the last stronghold of the former regime. With Sirte fallen and Qaddafi killed, NTC may proclaim the liberation of Libya, and begin the preparations for the free elections, which are to be held within eight months.

On Wednesday, acting prime minister Mahmoud Jibril expressed his concern that Muammar al-Qaddafi was recruiting soldiers from the African countries and was preparing a comeback. The acting PM was also preoccupied by the fact that Sirte was still holding and expressed the opinion that a son of the former president may have been there.

In an unexpected visit to Libya earlier this week, U.S. State Secretary Hillary Clinton said America did not know where Qaddafi was but added she hoped he would soon be captured or killed so that the Libyans may not fear him anymore and get on with their lives.

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