Libya’s new age: Gaddafi killed in crossfire

By Eric Brown |Managing Editor|

The Libyan road to revolution has been marred by bloodied conflict, corruption and distrust but with the capture and death of former dictator, Muammar Gaddafi, the state of civil war seems to have officially reached an end.

While official fighting has been over for some weeks now,  Gaddafi has remained elusive since the toppling of his regime. Targeted by many international organisations for crimes against humanity, the justice of his death still hangs as a question to the world.

Gaddafi capture was not by coalition forces or covert operatives from major players but instead he was brought in alive and unharmed by troops from the National Transitional Council (NTC) when they overran his hometown of Sirte on Thursday according to  Mahmoud Jibril, Libya’s transitional Prime Minister as he told CNN.

However, a gunbattle erupted between transitional council fighters and Gaddafi’s supporters as his captors attempted to load him into a vehicle, Jibril explained, leaving Gadhafi with a wound to his right arm. Further shooting followed as the vehicle drove away, and Gaddafi — the 42 year ruling strongman and longest ruling Arab ruler  — was shot in the head, explained Jabril.

Colonel Gaddafi, the autocrat died moments before arriving at a hospital in Misrata, Jibril finished, citing the city’s coroner.

Spotty footage of Gaddafi has caught on to the web starting first on Arab media sites picturing the still alive “Brother Leader” being hauled onto a truck.

Jibril further stated that DNA samples confirmed Gaddafi’s identity, and the International Criminal Court — which had issued an arrest warrant for the ousted dictator on war-crimes charges — has agreed to allow Gadhafi’s burial.

“This is a time to start a new Libya, with a new economy, with a new education and with a new health system — with one future,” said Jibril, after proclaiming Gaddafi’s death.

Having fashioned himself and his rule along the lines of Islamic socialism, it is ironic that the Arab Spring brought the people to Gaddafi’s door and him to his downfall.

Libya might still have spots of trouble here and there with Gaddafi supporters and relatives holding out in small pockets, but with the strongman himself defeated, the Libyan struggle for revolution and reform seems nears its end.