Obama says Gaddafi's rule in Libya has come to an end

US President Barack Obama said Sunday that Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's rule in the country has come to an end and asked him to relinquish "power once and for all".

"Tonight, the momentum against the Gaddafi regime has reached a tipping point," Obama said in a statement issued by the White House.

"The Gaddafi regime is showing signs of collapsing."

"Muammar Gaddafi and his regime need to recognize that their rule has come to an end," he said, adding that "Gaddafi needs to acknowledge the reality that he no longer controls Libya."

Obama also called on the main opposition group, the National Transitional Council (NTC), to "steer the country through a transition by respecting the rights of the people of Libya, avoiding civilian casualties, protecting the institutions of the Libyan state, and pursuing a transition to democracy that is just and inclusive for all of the people of Libya".