Relatives of Moammar Gadhafi have fled Libya into Algeria, a neighbouring country that rebels have accused of supporting the former leader's toppled regime.
The whereabouts of Gadhafi himself remain in question, however, as battles continue to rage near the city of Sirte, which has long been a bastion for Gadhafi and his supporters.
Still, Gadhafi's wife and three of his children have fled into Algeria, which is a key sign that the ruler's iron grip on the North African nation is finished.
It's also believed that one of Gadhafi's sons, the military commander Khamis, was killed in battle.
"We are sure he is dead," rebel commander Col. Boujela Issawi told The Associated Press. However, his body is missing and could have been taken to a disputed region.
Following the collapse of Tripoli, rebels have been attempting to consolidate their gains around the capital and elsewhere after nearly six months of fighting.
Though Gadhafi's rule is essentially over, the rebels have yet to find the mercurial political figure or capture members of his family.
Without Gadhafi in custody, some rebels believe their fight isn't finished.
Earlier Monday, National Transitional Council head Mustafa Abdul-Jalil said in a meeting with NATO officials that Gadhafi will continue to be a problem until he is brought to justice.
"Gadhafi is still capable of doing something awful in the last moments," Abdul-Jalil said in the meeting, held in Qatar.
"Even after the fighting ends, we still need logistical and military support from NATO," he added.
Some senior officials believe that Gadhafi has fled to Sirte, where the deposed leader's tribe holds sway over the local area.
NATO, which has undertaken bombing raids against Gadhafi's forces, has been a key ally for the rebel forces since March, when the UN approved a mandate to protect Libyan civilians.
The Algerian Foreign Ministry said that among the Gadhafi family, sons Hannibal and Mohammed, along with daughter Aisha, have entered the country. According to the weekend report, the family members arrived in a convoy of six armoured Mercedes Benz sedans.
Kaddafi's children played important roles in his regime: Hannibal ran the nation's maritime transportation business, Mohammed headed up the country's Olympic committee and Aisha was a lawyer that worked as a defender for Iraq's Saddam Hussein.
While the fighting in Tripoli and other towns has become less intense, residents are still dealing with crippling shortages of food, water and power. Some locals have been forced to fill up drinking water containers from large trucks.
Still, many are expressing relief that Gadhafi's time appears to have come.
Truck driver Ramzi Abu Shabaan said the shortages were a small price to pay.
"I don't care if we go without water for two months even -- frizz-head is gone -- it's worth it."
