Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, Son of Late Libyan Leader, Reportedly Assàssînated

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of Libya’s late ruler Muammar Gaddafi, has reportedly been killed in a shooting. He was 53 years old.

The assassination is believed to have occurred on Tuesday, February 3, in the western Libyan city of Zintan, where he had been based for the last ten years. The head of his political team confirmed his death to the Libyan News Agency.

His sister announced his passing on Libyan television, stating he died near the country’s border with Algeria but without specifying the cause.

The incident has prompted calls for an immediate and transparent investigation. Khaled al-Mishri, former head of the internationally recognised Tripoli-based High State Council, made the appeal in a social media post.

Saif al-Islam never held an official government position but was widely considered the most powerful and formidable figure in Libya after his father, who ruled from 1969 until his overthrow and death during the 2011 uprising.

He was captured in 2011 while trying to flee the country after opposition forces took Tripoli and was subsequently imprisoned in Zintan. He was released in 2017 under a general amnesty.