Tripoli, Sep 27 (IANS) Ousted Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has said he is still in the country, fighting on the ground and ready to die a martyr, state-run Allibiya TV reported.


"Heroes have resisted and fallen as martyrs and we too are awaiting martyrdom," Gaddafi was quoted as saying in a speech broadcast on local radio in Bani Walid, one of his last strongholds.

Gaddafi hailed the resistance by his supporters in Bani Walid, south of Tripoli, which has seen clashes for several weeks after a siege by forces of the rebel National Transitional Council (NTC).

Referring to the NTC, Gaddafi said an "unexpected shock" awaits the "clique of agents in the coming days".

The Libyan leader is still on the run, though rebels control most of the North African country and are working to set up a new government.