Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who until recently portrayed himself as a friend of Moamer Gaddafi, said reports that the deposed Libyan leader had been captured signalled the "end to the war" in Libya dpa reported
Asked about what he thought of Gaddafi's capture, Berlusconi was quoted by the ANSA news agency as saying in Latin: "Sic transit gloria mundi (Thus passes the glory of the world)."
"Now the war has ended," the Italian premier added.
In 2008, Berlusconi and Gaddafi signed a controversial Italy-Libya friendship agreement, in which Italy promised 5 billion dollars to compensate the North African country for transgressions during three decades of Italian colonial rule during the first half of the 20th century.
In exchange, Gaddafi pledged to assist Italy's conservative government curb illegal immigration across the Mediterranean by accepting the immediate deportation to Libya of migrants intercepted in international waters.
Critics, including the United Nations and the Catholic Church, denounced the deal as a violation of the rights of asylum seekers, since the deportations would take place without establishing whether the people involved were eligible for refugee status.
In March, Italy suspended the friendship agreement and began supporting a NATO mission to impose a UN no-flight zone over the North African country.