Last hours of resistance: Qaddafi slain in Sirte
Muammar Qaddafi was killed by Libyans he once scorned as “rats”, succumbing to wounds, some seemingly inflicted after his capture by fighters who overran his last redoubt on Thursday in his hometown of Sirte.
Two months after National Transitional Council fighters ended 42 years of eccentric, often bloody, one-man rule by capturing the capital Tripoli, his death and the fall of the final bastion ended a nervous hiatus for the new interim government, which is now set to declare formal “liberation” with a timetable for elections.
The killing or capture of senior aides, as well as possibly two sons including Mohatassim, may ease fears of diehards regrouping elsewhere — though cellphone video apparently of Qaddafi alive and being beaten may inflame his sympathisers.
(Read: Qaddafi’s demise)
A Libyan official said Qaddafi, 69, was killed in custody. “We confirm that all the evils, plus Qaddafi, have vanished from this beloved country,” interim Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril said in Tripoli as the body was delivered to Misrata.
“It’s time to start a new Libya, a united Libya,” Jibril added. “One people, one future.” A formal declaration of liberation would be made by Friday, he said. In Benghazi, thousands took to the streets and danced under the old tricolour flag revived by Qaddafi’s opponents.
Shot in the head
A spokesman for the National Transitional Council (NTC) in Benghazi, Jalal al Galal, said a doctor who examined the fallen strongman in Misrata found he had been shot in the head and abdomen. Jerky video shown on Al Jazeera showed a man looking like Qaddafi, with distinctive long, curly hair, bloodied and staggering under blows from armed men, apparently NTC fighters.
“They captured him alive and while he was being taken away, they beat him and then they killed him,” one senior source in the NTC told Reuters. Driven in an ambulance from Sirte, his partially stripped body was delivered to a mosque in Misrata. Senior NTC official Abdel Majid Mlegta told Reuters that DNA tests were being conducted to confirm it was Qaddafi. He would be buried in Misrata, most likely by Friday.
Hailing liberation
An announcement of final liberation was expected as the chairman of the NTC prepared to address the nation of six million. They now face the challenge of turning oil wealth to heal an array of tribal, ethnic and regional divisions.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy hailed the turn of events that few had expected so soon. But he also alluded to fears that the new Libya could descend, like Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, into bloody factionalism: “The liberation of Sirte must signal ... the start of a process ... to establish a democratic system,” he said.
US President Barack Obama hailed Qaddafi’s death as a warning to authoritarian leaders across the Middle East that iron-fisted rule “inevitably comes to an end” and as vindication for his cautious US strategy on Libya. “This marks the end of a long and painful chapter for the people of Libya who now have the opportunity to determine their own destiny,” Obama told reporters.
UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon and other world leaders say they will work with Libyans as they try to move forward and build a democracy after Qaddafi’s death. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi uttered a Latin phrase to say that everything was transitory. “So the glory of this world passes away,” said Berlusconi.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 21st, 2011.
COMMENTS (26)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1722586547-0/Untitled-design-(73)1722586547-0-165x106.webp "article")
1732326457-0/prime-(1)1732326457-0-165x106.webp "article")
Next is Bahrain.......... The Tyrants of Ruling Family.
next to iran but be wise and lean more lesson from here?
Libya has enormous wealth and a tiny population (about 1/3 of Karachi) - with any luck the next rulers will spread that wealth down to the people. Qaddafii was a bona fide bad guy - took power by force and kept in power using ruthless tactics, plundered the wealth of his country, actively supported terrorist, was considered mentally unstable, a legend in his own mind with self aggrandizing goals of leading the Arabs and leading Africa (couldn't find any followers). The reality is that he had little support within his own country - had to keep his own army weak so that it could not overthrow him.
MOSSAD conspiracy! He is alive & living in Gujrat at the residence of Choudhary Shujat just like Hilter who is living in Murree.
@ali:
Extremely improbable since Saudi Arabia unlike Egypt, Tunis and Libya is very well maintained by its royal family. They have given and will of course not give any reason to their local population to revolt (as long as they have the oil wealth to keep their people happy). The poverty level among local Saudis is not that high to support this kind of a revolution.
The only danger House of Saud faces is the classic one that every monarchy faces i.e., another noble family gathering enough support from other tribes to challenge their rule. But that is also very unlikely as long as the House of Saud keeps the other tribes happy, which of course they do.
Ahmad-e-Nijad???? Iran will get the crab out of them!!!
Saudia Next????????????
@Agustus: Hitler was a front man. His backers the Bank of International Settlement still operates today producing Hitlers for us esp. Africa and Asia. Someone needs to check out history section in library.
We truly a shameless nation. Qaddafi was a friend and supporter of Pakistan during some of our toughest times but we forget it in a blink of an eye and are co-opted by NATO propoganda. Please do some research on what Qaddafi was doing and who the leaders of the NTC are. For example Belhadj the military leader of the rebels is a hard core Al-Qaeda operative who has spent time in jail right here in Pakistan!! His merry band of murderers are well know beheaders who used to operate in the tribal areas and Iraq. Please see the reality of what is going on.
Now the Libyan people will get to enjoy civil war, real oppression and the looting of their wealth.
It is a shame how brutally he was killed by the mob as shown in the videos. And all the so-called 'humane' world leaders like Obama, Sarkozy et al have come out with statements 'hailing' the event. Whatever his faults, Qaddafi stood up to the exploiting neo-colonialists and imperialists during a time in history when they were mercilessly exploiting the natural resources of the third world while tacitly supporting naked racism of Apartheid regimes like in South Africa. What is the world coming to when people rejoice at such brutality?? Do you think this is the start of a better future for the Libyans? Hardly likely.
Who is gonna be next after Saddam and Qazzafi? Hashaam-ul-Asad or Ahmedi Najjad?
May Allah forgive his crimes. He was a friend of Pakistan and a great leader even if with flaws. Libyans do not realize what they have done yet. Soon they will be shackled with the burdens of foreign debt, corrupt politicians and all the other ills just like other 3rd world nations of the world.
@Moise: Hitler also took Germany out of the Poverty and despair of WWI (only to create WWII), Gadaffi was evil which every way you try and look at it.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy hailed the turn of events (Mutual killing with support of NATO). As a matter of fact a new era of colonization has commenced. French are flexing muscles to regain its colonies in Middle East. It has still not reconciled to its shameful defeat at the hands of Algerians. With Saudi Arabia , Kuwait, Bahrain, and UAE secured, USA with its poodle is busy conquering Iraq, Afghanistan and eying Pakistan. Iran has been declared axis of evil because it guards its independence. .
Shall we see end of our corrupt rulers like this ever!!
Another Iraq in the making.
Pakistan's political dynasties should learn a lesson from this ...
Those who were yesterday are not with us today. And those who are with us today will not remain tomorrow.
The only name which was before the creation and will remain after the world will finish is of “A L L A H” and no one else.
A moment of joy for oppressed people! And a moment of reflection for current incumbent dictators of the Muslim world!
@Mirza: Here are "rat's" crimes:
Free electricity and water, greatest man made river was made in Libya Education free from Kindergarten to University student in varsity only pay 9$ Petrol costs 75 cents Toward Pan African economic, financial and political independence Rascom project to have African satellite and communication independence with 75% funding from Libya Planning for African Monetary Fund and African Reserve Bank Ranks 53 on the UN Human Development Index, Libya ranks ahead of Russia (65), Ukraine (69), Brazil (73), Venezuela (75) and Tunisia (81). Longevity has increased by 20 years under Gaddhafi’s rule.
Pakistanis crave for all these things yet complain about Gaddhafi.
Lets wait and see if it is a NATO disinformation campaign like previous ones or real deal.
The issue now is how the libiyans will get their country running.
All three major tribes who were involved in revolution wil seek a position in the government, power, and reward.
With all those rebel weapons floating around, it could turn into a minor civil unrest. Hopefully sanity and maturity prevails.
.."Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi uttered a Latin phrase to say that everything was transitory. “So the glory of this world passes away,” said Berlusconi.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 21st, 2011.."
Does Berlusconi think that Kadaffi was "...the glory of this world....."....sic transit gloria mundi...?
It only proves that all these military dictators are like rats. They would hide in sewage pipes like rats while talking like they are the bravest men in the world. They are nothing against the masses if they unite and decide to defang them. A lesson to current and would be dictators to get real and behave like paid public servants.