The U.S. State Department on Thursday said it could not confirm that former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has been captured and wounded in both legs.

Muammer Gaddafi "We've seen the media reports but can't confirm them," State Department spokeswoman Beth Gosselin told Reuters. Reuters reported that the deposed Libyan leader had been captured and wounded in both legs, citing National Transitional Council official Abdel Majid. "He's captured. He's wounded in both legs... He's been taken away by ambulance," the senior NTC military official told Reuters by telephone.

 Gaddafi was captured and wounded near his hometown of Sirte at dawn on Thursday as he tried to flee in a convoy which NATO warplanes attacked, Majid said. The senior NTC military official told Reuters by telephone that the head of Gaddafi's armed forces Abu Bakr Younus Jabr had been killed during the capture of the Libyan ex-leader.