Five years after he was captured and killed in his home town of Sirte, we look at some highlights of his reign and present a dozen pictures that chronicle his time as leader of Libya.
Local rebel groups were aided by western forces to overthrow the man who had ruled Libya for close to five decades.
Today, Libya is split between rivals governments ruling different parts of the oil rich country. Insurgent group ISIS have also take advantage to seize parts of Sirte despite a government siege to retake the town.
Today, Libya is split between rivals governments ruling different parts of the oil rich country. Insurgent group ISIS have also take advantage to seize parts of Sirte despite a government siege to retake the town.
‘‘We are in a period that is much worse than the last, and Libya is threatened with extinction,” said one resident.
“After the previous regime fell, we hoped that with the will of God, things would be better because we expect a lot from our country. We hope that those who love their country will unite for reconciliation, to create national reconciliation. It’s the only way for the country to be built, God willing,” said another resident.
Five facts about Gaddafi
- He was captured and killed in his hometown of Sirte, he was born in the same place on 7 June 1942.
- He attended the Libyan military academy and also received training in Greece and the United Kingdom
- He seized power after a coup d’etat on September 1, 1969. He promoted himself from ‘‘Captain’‘ to ‘‘Colonel’‘ after the coup.
- He married twice and had seven sons and a daughter.
- He developed what he called the third universal theory which is expounded in his infamous ‘‘Green Book’‘ published in 1975.
Our top 12 photos on Gaddafi
Gaddafi in quotes
“There is no state with a democracy except Libya on the whole planet. In the Middle East, the opposition is quite different than the opposition in advanced countries. In our countries, the opposition takes the form of explosions, assassinations, killings.”
Address to US Academics, March 2006
“Libya is an African country. May Allah help the Arabs and keep them away from us. We don’t want anything to do with them.“
Libyan TV, March 2007
“I am an international leader, the dean of the Arab rulers, the king of kings of Africa and the imam of Muslims, and my international status does not allow me to descend to a lower level.“
Arab League summit, March 2009
“Freedom of expression is the right of every natural person, even if a person chooses to behave irrationally, to express his or her insanity.”
“Women, like men, are human beings. This is an incontestable truth… Women are different from men in form because they are females, just as all females in the kingdom of plants and animals differ from the male of their species… According to gynaecologists women, unlike men, menstruate each month… Since men cannot be impregnated they do not experience the ailments that women do.”
Both excerpts from the Green Book
All photos: Courtesy of Reuters Pictures
