Libya celebrates Muammar Gaddafi’s deathOctober 20, 2011 - 20:39 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - News that Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi was killed in his hometown Sirte sparked scenes of wild joy among the ranks of new regime fighters who crushed his final bastion of support. "We did it! We did it!" chanted the fighters overcome with emotion, exchanging well-wishes, hugs and handshakes against a backdrop of intense celebratory gunfire. A phone video message purporting to show Gaddafi's dead body spread like wild fire among National Transitional Council fighters in the Mediterranean city before the strongman's death was officially announced. The blurry video showed what appeared to be Gaddafi's corpse, dressed in khaki, with blood oozing from his face and neck before fighters drag and load it onto a pick-up truck. Fighters flashed the V for victory sign, yelled "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest) and chanted revolutionary slogans at the news of the strongman's demise moments after the city came under their full control. Former rebels unleashed a deafening salvo of machine gun and rocket fire after overruning the final pockets of resistance in Sirte, where diehard loyalists fought and former regime officials hid. Men fell to their knees and kissed the ground at the news of the Gaddafi's death while others came together in payer at the main intersections celebrating the end of an almost two-month offensive on Sirte. The roar of gunfire - once a sign of fierce combats - continued unabated after the fall of Sirte was officially declared while car speakers blared the new regime's national anthem and revolutionary songs. "Every inch of the city is liberated," said fighter Abdul Matlub Saleh. "The gunfire that you are hearing is all celebration," news.com.au reported. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | International cybercrime ringleaders arrested in Armenia, Ukraine Europol, Europe's crime agency, has arrested four ringleaders of several cybercrime networks that used botnets. Armenia skips CSTO Defense Ministers meeting A meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization countries began in Almaty. Armenian, Iranian foreigh policy chief talk over the phone The Foreign Minister of Armenia once again expressed condolences to his counterpart on the death of the President of Iran. Armenia, U.S. customs authorities to boost assistance with new deal The government has approved an agreement with the U.S. government on mutual assistance between the customs authorities. |