Updated: September 22, 2011
What happenedInspired by near neighbors Tunisia and Egypt, and other uprisings in the Arab world, Libyan protesters, planned what they termed a "day of rage" on February 17th.
As people gathered in a Benghazi (the second largest city in Libya) city square on the 15th, before the scheduled protest, reports began surfacing that police were shooting at those gathered there. As the news of the shootings spread, thousands joined the original group and began battling government troops.
Qaddafi
Muammar Qaddafi, the country's leader since 1969 and who is known for being unpredictable and ruthless, has not only refused to step down, but vowed to fight protesters to his "last drop of blood" and asked his supporters to fight the protesters in a speech shortly after the unrest began.
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On October 20th, Qaddafi was killed during a NATO air strike as once-rebel forces took control of his hometown, Sirte. People in Tripoli, the capital, celebrated at the news. World leaders had mixed reactions.
"Today is a day to remember all of Gadhafi's victims," British Prime Minister David Cameron said, referring to those in Libya and also the 270 people killed in the 1988 Pan Am bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland.
Russian presidential envoy, Mikhail Margelov, had this to say, "Today's problem of Libya is not the problem of Gadhafi's life or death. This is a problem of consolidating fragmented Libyan society and of strengthening the armed forces," the AP reported.
The ripples of Gadhafi's death
Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi died today as his hometown fell to the one-time rebels who ousted him, ending the last vestiges of control for the man once hailed as the "king of kings of Africa."
Video: Libya: Life without Qaddafi
A new flag is flying over this country even though Qaddafi remains at large.
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