Slumped against the bloodied legs of a revolutionary fighter, this is the picture which Libyan rebels say confirms that deposed leader Muammar Gaddafi has been killed.
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The former Libyan dictator was reportedly found cowering in a hole in the ground at the centre of Sirte after rebels moved in on the city for a final assault.
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Fighter Mohammed Al Bibi told reporters that the toppled tyrant had pleaded 'Don't shoot, don't shoot' and surrendered.
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However, it is unclear whether Gaddafi is now dead or alive. There were multiple reports in the Arab press that he died after suffering wounds to the legs.
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The mobile phone image, released shortly after the news of his capture broke, appeared to show a bloodied Gaddafi being manhandled.?It is understood that he has been taken to hospital in the city of Misrata.?Rebels said he had been armed with a golden pistol when he was found and was wearing a khaki uniform.
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Gaddafi and his family have been on the run since Nato and rebel forces started closing the net on Tripoli in mid-August.
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The reports of Gaddafi's capture came on the same day that revolutionary forces said that they had taken control of Sirte – the leader's home town.
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Initial reports from CNN and the National Transitional Council (NTC) said Gaddafi was in custody, while Al Jazeera reported that a ‘big fish’ had been caught but did not provide a name.
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Al Jazeera later joined Al-Arabiya in saying that Gaddafi had been killed, but did not provide any further information.
Sky News reported that Gaddafi had been wounded in both legs prior to his capture. He was wearing a military-style uniform.
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A military official told Reuters via telephone: “He's captured. He's wounded in both legs … He's been taken away by ambulance.”?
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Libya's transitional government forces have taken full control of the city – the last stronghold of Gaddafi loyalists. Gaddafi's presence there would explain why fighting had been so intense in the past few weeks.
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Al Jazeera reported spontaneous celebration in cities like Benghazi and Tripoli, with people cheering and shouting, car horns sounding and small arms fire being heard.
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After weeks of fierce fighting, the NTC announced that it had 'taken control' of the city. But as revolutionary forces celebrated in the city, reports came of Gaddafi's capture.
The NTC said that, in the early hours of the morning, at least five cars carrying loyalist fighters attempted to escape the city.
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A senior official with Libya's National Transitional Council told Reuters that Gaddafi was captured near his hometown of Sirte at dawn as he tried to flee in a convory that came under attack from NATO warplanes.
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The official also said the head of Gaddafi's armed forces, Abu Bakr Younus Jabr, was killed during the capture of the former Libyan leader.
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The NTC said Sirte's fall would be the point at which it would declare Libya liberated. The transitional authorities have said a new government would then be formed within a month, and the current administration would resign.
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The U.S. State Department said today it could not confirm that Gaddafi had been captured.
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White House officials were not immediately available to comment. The Pentagon also said it could not confirm the reports.
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It is understood that Gaddafi’s son Saif has also been captured by rebels.
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There were some reports that NATO had bombed a compound shortly before Gaddafi’s reported capture.
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But as revolutionary forces celebrated in the city, reports came of Gaddafi's capture.
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The NTC said that, in the early hours of the morning, at least five cars carrying loyalist fighters attempted to escape the city.
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Most were killed or rounded up, and it is not clear whether this was an attempt by Gaddafi to escape.
Culled from mail online