Libyan government confirms Moammar Gadhafi captured and killed; Obama speaks

Story by The Takeaway. Listen to the above audio for a complete report.

Moammar Gadhafi, the longtime leader of Libya, has been captured and killed by the revolutionary forces that seized control of the country and ousted him from power, Libya's Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril told reportes just a few minutes ago.

Reuters and the BBC were among the first to report that not only had Gadhafi been captured, but that he had also been killed. Jibril told reporters that Gadhafi was already injured by the time National Transition Council forces found him.

According to Al-Jazeera, Gadhafi was badly injured in the battle for Sirte and died a short-time after being captured, citing NTC leader Abdul Hakim Belhaj. Reuters reported that NATO air forces were involved in the attack that led to Gafhafi's capture.

President Barack Obama said in a press conference that this would allow the Libyan people to choose their own future in a Democratic process.

"Today, we can definitively say, the Gadhafi regime has come to an end," he said.

Obama said the U.S. looked forward to the creation of an interim government and a swift move to Democratic elections. He also asked the Libyans to move swiftly in securing dangerous materials. There have been significant concerns about lost surface to air missiles and other weapons systems.

MSNBC, citing government officials, said the American role in the Libyan campaign cost about $1.5 billion — despite not putting any soldiers on the ground.

Agence France Press service is distributing a photo that purports to be of a badly injured, blood Gadhafi (caution: graphic image). Reuters, citing officials with the NTC, says the photo is authentic. Al Jazeera aired a video (Caution: very graphic and potentially disturbing) of Gadhafi's dead body. This photo on the Al Jazeera homepage (contains graphic image) is from that video.

Al Arabiya says the body has been taken to Misrata, the site of one of the toughest battles in the civil war, and is now on display at a local shopping mall. At this point, that is unconfirmed. Al Arabiya said it will be allowed to film Gadhafi's body.

"He's captured. He's wounded in both legs," National Transitional Council official Abdel Majid told Reuters.

According to the BBC, Gadhafi told a soldier who captured him not to shoot.

The NTC forces captured Sirte, one of the last places in Libya still loyal to Gadhafi and his hometown, after a lenthy battle.

More information about the capture is expected to be released later this morning.

This story will be updated as it develops.

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