Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of Libya’s late ruler Muammar Gaddafi, has reportedly been killed, though conflicting accounts and the absence of an official statement have left the circumstances of his death unclear.
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the once-powerful son and heir apparent of the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, has reportedly been killed, according to unconfirmed reports announced late Tuesday. Initial accounts cited by the Libyan News Agency said the head of Gaddafi’s political team confirmed the death, while his sister reportedly told Libyan television that he died near the Libya–Algeria border, without disclosing the cause.
Libyan media outlets are circulating competing versions of events, and no official confirmation has been issued by state authorities. The lack of detail has fueled uncertainty over when and how the reported death occurred, as officials have so far declined to comment.
Aged 53, Saif al-Islam was long regarded as the most influential figure in Libya after his father, who ruled the country for 42 years until his overthrow and killing during the 2011 uprising. He played a prominent role in Libya’s diplomatic engagement with Western governments in the 2000s, but after the regime’s collapse he was captured and held for nearly six years by a militia in Zintan. He was accused of playing a central role in the violent suppression of anti-government protests in 2011, prompting the International Criminal Court to seek his trial on charges of crimes against humanity.