UN urges investigation into Gaddafi’s death

The body of the ousted dictator, who was captured and killed on Thursday by rebel forces, is being kept in a meat store in Misrata while the Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC) decides what to do with it.

Nato confirmed yesterday its forces had bombed an armed convoy of 75 vehicles leaving Sirte, the city defended by Gaddafi loyalists, on Thursday morning but had been unaware he was in the transport of suspected military leaders. As the vehicles dispersed, rebel fighters moved in and captured the dictator, but what happened next remains unclear.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Rupert Colville, said it needed to be established whether he was killed in crossfire or executed after he was captured.

Yesterday, as Nato prepared to wind down operations after seven months of air strikes to protect the civilian population, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said UK sales directors should be “packing their suitcases” for Libya to secure contracts for reconstruction work.

Call to British firms: Page 5; death fuels Syrian protests: Page 16.