Reports claim the former Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, is dead.
Thursday, he was reportedly captured near Sirte where he was hiding—it is believed that he was hiding in Sirte since August when rebels seized control of Tripoli.
Gaddafi was reportedly found hiding in a hole. He was shot trying to flee and subsequently died of his wounds.
Reuters reported that the vice-chairman of the National Transitional Council, Abdul Hafiz Ghoga, is now confirming Gaddafi has been killed.
“He (Gaddafi) was also hit in his head,” National Transitional Council official Abdel Majid Mlegta told Reuters. “There was a lot of firing against his group and he died.”
White House officials say they can’t confirm anything though numerous Libyan officials are confirming his death.
According to CNN, AbdelHakim Bilhajj, head of the NTC’s military arm in Tripoli announced Gadhafi’s death live on Al-Jazeera Arabic Thursday and it was also reported by NTC television station Al-Ahrar, though not citing a source.
Pictures surfaced on AFP showing a civilian holding Gaddafi’s golden gun and a bloody photo of a dead Gaddafi, though it’s not confirmed if the photo is authentic.
Gaddafi ruled the North African state of Libya for 42 years and was known as “King of Kings of Africa.” But by February an uprising resulted in a civil war and sent Gaddafi running and he hasn’t been seen in public for months. He was also wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of ordering the killing of civilians.
