Libya, North Africa | featured news

The International Criminal Court said Saturday that Libya's Saif al-Islam Gaddafi was in contact via intermediaries about surrendering for trial, but it also had information mercenaries were trying to spirit him to a friendly African nation.

NATO is to formally decide on Wednesday whether to end its mission over Libya now that Muammar Gaddafi is dead and buried and the country's new leaders have declared the nation "liberated".

The military council in Misurata said a funeral and burial were held at a secret location for Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, his son and former defense minister.

Doctors completed the autopsy of Moammar Gadhafi on Sunday, with the chief pathologist confirming the former Libyan leader died of a gunshot wound to the head.

Libya's new rulers plan to declare their embattled nation "liberated" Sunday, a move that will trigger a timetable for elections and the writing of a constitution for the North African nation, according to reports from Tripoli.

Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, who ruled Libya for 42 years, died Thursday as his last stronghold fell to the Libyan forces who drove him from power, officials of Libya’s transitional government said. There were conflicting initial reports of the specific circumstances of his death: some said he was killed in Surt, his hometown; others said he died while fleeing it.

Libya's National Transitional Council offered no official confirmation Thursday of the arrest of Moatassim Gadhafi, one of the deposed leader's sons believed to have been captured after a four-hour firefight in Sirte.

Libyan forces from Misrata said they wrested control of key buildings in Moammar Gaddafi’s hometown of Sirte from his supporters after several days of intense street fighting that left scores dead and wounded.

They arrive by the carload day and night: Liberated Libyans coming to experience Tripoli's latest tourist attraction. It’s called Bab Al-Azizyia, but it is better known as Col. Moammar Gadhafi's compound. For most Libyans it was strictly off-limits during Gadhafi's 42-year reign of Libya – but not anymore.

A mass grave thought to hold the remains of more than 1200 victims of a 1996 massacre at Abu Salim prison has been found in Tripoli, officials with Libya's transitional government said Sunday.