More than 20,000 people have been killed in Libya since the civil conflict started in February in the North African state, rebel leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil said on Thursday.

Speaking at a press conference in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, Abdel Jalil, head of the rebel Transitional National Council (NTC), said he did not have the exact figure but he believed the conflict had cost more than 20,000 lives.

He said the rebels now have large amount of oil, gas, food and medicine stockpiles as they have captured the majority of Libya.

Oil and gas resources found in Zawiyah city, about 40 km west of the capital Tripoli, are enough to supply the whole Libya for several months, while food found in a storage in Tripoli is enough to support the capital for a whole year, he said.

Jalil said the rebels are holding talks with tribe leaders in Sirte, the hometown of Gaddafi, for a peaceful "revolution" of the city.

He also noted that "the NTC welcomes any direct or indirect negotiations with any group or country for an early national liberation."

The NTC is bracing for a move of its headquarters to Tripoli.

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