Libya megathread: Gaddafi dead

[Sawia]

"NTC spokesperson said he had been on military convoy escaping from Sirte when that convoy was hit by NATO planes, commander of Gaddafis army was also killed in the strike." Thats what news here are saying.

[Yootwopia]

Why do military dictators feel the need to hide in holes in the ground ???

I guess it's because they largely overthrew people living ostentatiously in palaces.

[New Bazlantis]

Deleted

[The Archregimancy]

The BBC is now carrying the story:

Commanders for Libya's transitional authorities say they have captured ousted leader Col Muammar Gaddafi.

The reports came after transitional forces claimed control of Sirte, Col Gaddafi's birthplace, following weeks of fierce fighting.

Some unconfirmed reports say Col Gaddafi has been wounded, others that he has been killed.

The colonel was toppled in August after 42 years in power. The International Criminal Court is seeking his arrest.

"He's captured. He's wounded in both legs," National Transitional Council (NTC) official Abdel Majid told Reuters news agency.

"He's been taken away by ambulance."

AFP news agency quoted another NTC official, Mohamed Leith, as saying that Col Gaddafi had been captured in Sirte and was "seriously wounded" but still breathing.

But NTC official Abdel Majid Mlegta told Reuters news agency that the former leader had been shot in the head and killed as he tried to flee.

Reuters also quoted another NTC commander, Abdul Hakim al-Jalil, as saying that Col Gaddafi's spokesman Moussa Ibrahim had been captured and the head of his armed forces, Abu Bakr Younus Jabr, had been killed, but again this has not been independently verified.

The BBC's Caroline Hawley in Tripoli says ships and cars have been sounding their horns in the capital and guns are being fired in celebration.

Earlier, NTC commanders in Sirte - about 360km (220 miles) east of Tripoli - said the city had been liberated.

"There are no Gaddafi forces any more," Col Yunus al-Abdali told Reuters. "We are now chasing his fighters who are trying to run away."

There was no confirmation from the NTC leadership.

But fighters in Sirte celebrated by firing in the air, and chanting "Allah akbar" ("God is great").

Interim government forces had been facing heavy resistance from snipers in the city, and used heavy artillery during its offensive. Thousands of civilians have fled.

The NTC has also suffered heavy casualties in the town of Bani Walid, south-east of Tripoli, in recent weeks.

On Monday the NTC said it had captured 90% of the town, including the centre.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At the scene

Gabriel Gatehouse

BBC News, Sirte


If the reports of Col Gaddafi's capture are true, then Mohammed al-Bibi is the man of the moment. Brandishing a golden pistol which he said belonged to Colonel Gaddafi he was hoisted up onto the shoulders of his comrades.

"Allah akbar" (God is great), they chanted as they unleashed volleys into the air. Mohammed, a fighter in his 20s, wearing a New York Yankees baseball cap, said he had found the colonel hiding in a hole in the ground. He told the BBC that the former Libyan leader said to him simply: "Don't shoot".

Rebel fighters say the colonel has been taken by ambulance to Misrata. If this is the case and the rest of Sirte has indeed fallen then it will mark a turning point for Libyan revolution - the point at which it will be hoped, the fighting ends and the political process begins.
A soldier who says he captured Muammar Gaddafi told the BBC the colonel had shouted: "Don't shoot!"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-15385955


I'll edit the thread title so that it's not all in capitals.

[Wisconsin7]

The top priority should be getting U.S. and NATO troops out of there, we don't want another Iraq/Afghanistan/Vietnam/Korea on our hands here.

[Charlotte Ryberg]

"NTC spokesperson said he had been on military convoy escaping from Sirte when that convoy was hit by NATO planes, commander of Gaddafis army was also killed in the strike." Thats what news here are saying.

I am not sure if it was Gaddafi who died from the wounds rather than being shot dead?

[Sawia]

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/afric ... 69621.html
Dont know, possibly serious wounds or then he was just shot after capture. There was a firefight between Gaddafis forces and NTC rebels when they reached the convoy.

[Dakjelskdan]

@Wisconsin7:
but we will get it

[Yootwopia]

Judging from that picture of Gaddafi on the BBC website, I think he's a goner.

[Charlotte Ryberg]

A news channel in Arabic has shown images of Gaddafi appearing to scream in pain. I don't know how I can describe it, but it doesn't appear to be safe for viewing here.

[Distruzio]

Breaking news across the world has the story that, according to Rebel sources in Libya, former 'Brotherly Leader and Guide of the Revolution', Muammar Gaddafi, has be found by Rebel forces in the northern war torn Pro-Gaddafi stronghold of Sirte.

One report suggests that the former autocratic ruler was discovered hiding "in a hole in Sirte, shouting 'Don't shoot. Don't shoot' when his position was uncovered." He was then, according to this source listed below, shot twice in the legs and taken to hospital by ambulance.

Other sources claim he died on his way to hospital.

So I ask, what does this now mean for Libya? Is the Revolution over and where does the country now find its future?

Can Libya be held together in all the uncertainty to present itself now the common enemy has been eliminated or will the National Transitional Council crumble in a heap like other ad hoc revolutionary administrations have in the past?

Furthermore what do you think about the whole Libya situation? Was it right for the West to intervene the way it did and was all as Western-mass media has portrayed it and is it right that so much of the TNC is full of former Gaddafi loyalists?

Opinons people please!

While I won't lament the mans passing, I do lament the coming orgy of expropriation that democracy will bring to that nation. If democracy is what the Libyans want, then I truly hope that they allow for local self-determinism in the pursuit of the "freedom" democracy ensures. If folks are meant to find freedom in "political rights," then coercive inclusion into the Libyan State seems to me to be a violation of one of the core principles democratic societies pretend to champion. If local self-determinism leads to the dissolution of the Libyan State, then so much the better.

[Sawia]

I think there is a still photo of that said film on BBC, seems like he took some damage from the airstrike, or he was just beaten.

[Seibertron]

Will the bloodshed end?

[Termiopolis]

While I won't lament the mans passing, I do lament the coming orgy of expropriation that democracy will bring to that nation. If democracy is what the Libyans want, then I truly hope that they allow for local self-determinism in the pursuit of the "freedom" democracy ensures. If folks are meant to find freedom in "political rights," then coercive inclusion into the Libyan State seems to me to be a violation of one of the core principles democratic societies pretend to champion. If local self-determinism leads to the dissolution of the Libyan State, then so much the better.

What he said.

[Iron Chariots]

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/10/20111020111520869621.html
Dont know, possibly serious wounds or then he was just shot after capture. There was a firefight between Gaddafis forces and NTC rebels when they reached the convoy.

They now say that Muammar Gaddafi has died of his wounds.

[Charlotte Ryberg]

AJE has said that the NTC military head is now confirming the fresh report. Again, I will only post textual confirmation due to graphic images circulating on the mainstream media, which is NSFW.

[Crux Prime]

Finally. 42 years of opression on Libya have finally ended. Congratulations for the Rebels. They did a very good job freeing the Libyan people.

[New Bazlantis]

Deleted

[Herrebrugh]

Meh. I'd rather have him captured than dead. But the former seems less probable than the latter.

[Sawia]

We will see whether they get freedom or another war between people wanting to get power in Libya.

[Thatius]

Wow this is shocking! FOX is reporting he's dead.

[Termiopolis]

@ New Bazlantis:

Look, Libya should not BE one country.

The Touareg in the South-West should have their own state (splitting off parts of Mali and Niger and Chad while we are at it, its not as if Bamako et alii have a semblance of authority up north).

The west of Libya has a wholly different tribal structure than the east, where monarchism is much more prevalent. Most of the NTC IS from the east, so let's get moving and split the whole thing up. The borders over there make sense only to colonial powers.

[The Archregimancy]

Following consultation between the mods, I am about to merge this thread into the existing Libya megathread.

I will also change the name of the Libya megathread to reflect the current situation.

[Lackadaisical2]

Finally. 42 years of opression on Libya have finally ended. Congratulations for the Rebels. They did a very good job freeing the Libyan people.

We will see just how true that liberation is in the years to come.

[Arumdaum]

Meh. I'd rather have him captured than dead. But the former seems less probable than the latter.

Same here.