Muammar Gaddafi killed, died of wounds (PHOTO, VIDEO)
By Larisa Muntean/ Chisinau / Moldova.ORG/ -- Muammar Gaddafi was killed on Thursday as Libya's new leaders declared they had overrun the last bastion of his long rule, sparking wild celebrations that eight months of war may finally be over, according to Reuters.
Details of the death near Sirte of the fallen strongman were hazy but it was announced by several officials of the National Transitional Council (NTC) and backed up by a photograph of a bloodied face ringed by familiar, Gaddafi-style curly hair (photo below).
Earlier reports on the country's state television stated that toppled Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi has been captured by rebel troops.
Officials at the Ministry of Defence and Foreign Office in London were trying to verify reports coming out of Libya that the fugitive former leader had been captured or even 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."
According to Reuters, Gaddafi was wounded and captured near Sirte while trying to flee in a convoy which was attacked by NATO. A NATO official says the alliance is checking reports of Gaddafi's capture.
A Libyan government fighter says Gaddafi was hiding in a hole in Sirte, shouting "don't shoot, don't shoot."
White House officials say they monitor the reports but cannot confirm Gaddafi’s status.
The official says the head of Gaddafi's armed forces, Abu Bakr Younus Jabr, was killed during the capture of the Libyan ex-leader.
Watch Reuter's video below (celebration of anti-Gaddafi fighters) and Al Jazeera TV's video where Gaddafi is dead (warning: GRAPHIC).
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