The ousted Libyan leader Col. Muammar Gaddafi has reportedly been killed in the town of Sirte, eight months after the first protests erupted against his longtime rule. The announcement came shortly after the interim government said it had captured Sirte, Gaddafi’s hometown and the last major pocket of resistance held by fighters loyal to his rule. The fall of Sirte follows weeks of fighting that left much of Sirte in ruins, forcing thousands of civilians to flee. The death toll is unknown, but it is believed hundreds of people have been killed. Libya’s governing National Transitional Council had said Libya’s post-conflict political transition could not fully proceed until Sirte had fallen and Gaddafi’s troops were expelled. Celebrations have broken out in the Libyan capital of Tripoli in response to the news of Gaddafi’s capture and possible death. Gaddafi is wanted by the International Criminal Court for attacks on civilians during the Libyan uprising.