After 42 years in power in Libya Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi popularly known as Muammar Gaddafi or Colonel Gadaffi is dead. He was the longest serving leader in the Arab speaking world.

Acting Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril announced the death, saying it was the moment Libya was waiting for. In Tripoli there were rapturous celebrations in response to the news of the death of the despised dictator.

Mr Jibril gave few details of how Col Gaddafi died, but video footage on Al-Jazeera emerged showing him captured alive. Other images apparently showed him being dragged through the streets.

Some fighters claim to have shot him, though it is not clear when he died.

Col Gaddafi was toppled from power in August after 42 years in charge of the country. He was fighting his last stand in Sirte alongside two of his sons, Mutassim and Saif al-Islam, according to reports.

Some fighters loyal to the National Transitional Council (NTC) said the colonel was shot when he tried to escape. One NTC fighter told the BBC that he found Col Gaddafi hiding in a hole in Sirte, and the former leader had begged him not to shoot.

Mr Jibril promised that NTC chief Mustafa Abdul Jalil would give more details of how Col Gaddafi was killed later. He also said Mr Abdul Jalil would officially announce the "liberation of the country", allowing the NTC to begin pushing through democratic reforms that will lead to elections.

"I think it's for the Libyans to realise that it's time to start a new Libya, a united Libya, one people, one future," Mr Jibril said.

Libyans gathered in towns and cities across the country to celebrate the reports of the colonel's death.

His death came after weeks of fierce fighting for Sirte, one of the last remaining pockets of resistance.

World leaders urged the NTC to carry through its promise to reform the country.

US President Barack Obama said it was a "momentous day" for Libya, now that tyranny had fallen.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron, who had taken a leading role in Nato's intervention, said it was "a day to remember all of Col Gaddafi's victims".

Source BBC News, Reuters, Daily Telegraph

A few charts to discuss this topic with:

The natal chart for Muammar Gaddafi (noon-untimed)

The Libra Ingress (Libya)

Pre-Lunation to death of Gaddafi

Chart for Gaddafi Regime (Noon-untimed)
The pre-lunation chart shows interesting links to the chart for the Gaddafi regime. The P-L ASC is on the Gaddafi regime Sun. The P-L Jupiter is on the Gaddafi regime Saturn while the P-L nodes are on the Gaddafi regime Mars. P-L Venus Sq Gaddafi regime Venus. Uranus is close to partile opposition of its radix position for the Gaddafi seizure of power in a coup d'?tat in 1969.