Magharebia

NTC Deputy Chairman Abdelhafed Ghoga confirmed that ousted Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi died Thursday (October 20th) while attempting to flee Sirte. Libyan TV channel "Libya lil Ahrar" displayed graphic images of what is claimed to be his bullet-riddled corpse.

National Transitional Council (NTC) troops caught Kadhafi as his hometown was falling, brigade commander Mohamed Leith told AFP.

The defence minister in Kadhafi's regime, Abu Bakr Yunis, was also killed in the final battle for the besieged city. His body was identified at the field hospital where it was brought in a pick-up truck on Thursday, Sirte doctor Abdu Rauf said.

The news of Kadhafi's capture comes as NTC fighters were carrying out a mopping up operation in the city's Number Two residential neighbourhood, the last redoubt of his loyalists in all of Libya.

Some 40 vehicles carrying senior regime figures and pro-Kadhafi fighters reportedly broke out of the neighbourhood and NTC troops had given chase, commanders said. There was no word as to whether Kadhafi was part of the large vehicle convoy.

Earlier this week, eastern front operations chief Wesam bin Hamaibi said the NTC was sure that Kadhafi's son and national security chief Moatassim, his ousted defence minister Abu Bakr Yunis and even Kadhafi himself were inside the city.