Contradictions over Gaddafi's cause of death

The cause of death of ousted Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi continues to be controversial. On October 22, Al-Jazeera television quoted a member of Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) expressing doubts about the specific context in which Gaddafi died.killed.

According to Mr. Waheed Burshan, Mr. Gaddafi was captured and died shortly after. He said that there should be an investigation into the cause of Mr. Gaddafi's death because there must have been a gap in time from when he was captured until his death.

Mr. Busan's comments contradicted a report by NTC Executive Committee Chairman Mahmoud Jibril that Gaddafi was shot during a gun battle between NTC gunmen and his supporters. The United Nations has previously called for an investigation into Gaddafi's death. Many governments and human rights organizations have also questioned the cause of the ousted leader's death.

Gaddafi and his son Mutassim were killed on October 20 when NTC forces took control of Gaddafi’s hometown of Sirte. The fate of Saif al-Islam, one of Gaddafi’s influential sons, is still unknown.

Saif al-Islam is believed to be fleeing in a convoy of three armoured vehicles from the city of Sirte south towards Libya’s border with Niger. Interpol has called on Islam to surrender in exchange for a guarantee of safe passage to The Hague to face charges of crimes against humanity.

On the same day, military officials in the city of Mixrata, where Gaddafi's body is being preserved, announced that they would not conduct an autopsy on Gaddafi's body, but that an investigation into the cause of his death was still underway. City officials also made Gaddafi's body available for public viewing.

However, observers said Gaddafi's head was tilted to cover the wound near his left ear, and his body, with a bullet wound in his abdomen, was covered by a blanket./.

(According to VNA)