GADDAFI WAS KILLED BY THE REBELS

The longest-ruling leader of Libya, from 1969 when he seized power in a military coup, was shot and killed by the rebels on Thursday (20 October 2011) in his hometown of Sirte after weeks of heavy fighting. Al Jazeera reported that the National Transitional Council military chief had confirmed that Gaddafi had died of wounds following his capture. The body of the former Libyan leader was taken to a location which is being kept secret for security reasons, an NTC official said. His son Mutassim was also found dead in Sirte.

Gaddafi, who ruled Libya for 42 years, was captured by the rebels who shot him and injured him severely with bullets. Celebrations broke out on the streets of Tripoli on news of capture of Gaddafi.

After seizing power in 1969, he abolished the Libyan Constitution of 1951 and imposed laws based on the political ideology he had formulated, called the Third International Theory.