Libya’s interim government has declared national liberation and the end of an eight-month long civil war in front of a large crowd in Benghazi.
Tens of thousands of people gathered to hear the official statement which came on the day it was confirmed former leader Muammar Gaddafi died from gunshot wounds to the head and abdomen.
On Sunday, a spokesman for the National Transitional Council (NTC) declared: ‘We declare to the whole world that we have liberated our beloved country, with its cities, villages, hill-tops, mountains, deserts and skies.’
Earlier in the day, Dr Othman al-Zintani revealed a post-mortem had been completed on Col Gaddafi’s body confirming the cause of death but he would not give any more details until the report was delivered to the attorney general.
Libya’s new leaders are continuing to face questions over Col Gaddafi’s death, with acting prime minister Mahmoud Jibril admitting to the BBC he wished the former dictator was still alive.
Col Gaddafi was killed in his home town of Sirte on Thursday with images of his bloodied body transmitted around the world appearing to show him captured alive.
Commenting on the death of Col Gaddafi, Mr Jibril declared: ‘To be honest with you at the personal level I wish [Col Gaddafi] was alive.
‘I want to know why he did this to the Libyan people. I wish I were his prosecutor in his trial.’
The US and United Nations have both called for an investigation into Col Gaddafi’s death after claims he was killed by crossfire appearing to be dispelled by images showing the former leader’s final moments.
Video footage shows Gaddafi urging his captors to take mercy on him and reportedly saying: ‘Do you know what is right or wrong?’
The declaration of liberation by the National Transitional Council is expected to pave the way for elections to be held and a new government chosen in the coming months.
