BENGHAZI, Libya, Oct 20 (Reuters) - The vice chairman of Libya's National Transitional Council confirmed that ousted leader Muammar Gaddafi had been killed on Friday and said the interim government would announce the liberation of Libya "within hours".
That would be a landmark announcement, after which the interim government has said it would begin the transition to democracy in the North African state ruled by Gaddafi with an iron fist for 42 years until August.
"We announce to the world that Muammar Gaddafi has been killed at the hands of the revolutionaries," Abdul Hafiz Ghoga told a news conference in Benghazi. "We will announce the liberation of Libya within hours, maybe sooner."
(Reporting by Brian Rohan; Writing by Jon Hemming; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
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