Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the 53-year-old son of Libya’s late ruler Muammar Gaddafi, was killed in an assassination attack at his residence in the western town of Zintan, Libyan media and his legal team confirmed on Tuesday. Gaddafi, once seen as a potential successor to his father and later a controversial political figure, was shot dead during a raid by four masked assailants who stormed his home and disabled security cameras before the attack, according to statements from his political advisers and lawyer.
The killing took place amid persistent instability in Libya, which has been divided since the 2011 uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi’s four-decade rule. Saif al-Islam had been living in Zintan since his release from militia detention in 2017 and had made a brief but contentious bid for the presidency in 2021. Despite not holding official office at the time of his death, he remained a significant figure in Libyan politics, admired by some tribal groups and opposed by others.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the assassination, and Libyan authorities have opened an investigation into the circumstances of the attack. The incident underscores the ongoing danger posed by rival armed factions and militias in Libya’s fractured political landscape.
news as reported
