Zintan, Libya: Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of Libya’s longtime former leader Muammar Gaddafi, has been killed in the western Libyan city of Zintan, where he had been based for the past decade.
An Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent in Libya reported on Tuesday evening that Saif al-Islam, 53, is believed to have been shot dead in Zintan, though the precise circumstances surrounding the killing remain unclear.
His death was later confirmed by his political adviser, Abdullah Othman, who did not disclose further details.
Former head of the Tripoli-based High State Council Khaled al-Mishri called for an “urgent and transparent investigation” into the killing, saying the circumstances require immediate clarification.
Saif al-Islam never held an official state position but was widely regarded as his father’s political heir and de facto number two from 2000 until 2011, when Muammar Gaddafi was killed by opposition forces during the uprising that ended his four-decade rule.
Following the fall of Tripoli in 2011, Saif al-Islam was captured while attempting to flee Libya and was detained in Zintan. He remained imprisoned there until his release in 2017 under a general pardon issued by eastern authorities.
His killing comes amid Libya’s protracted political fragmentation and persistent insecurity, particularly in western regions where rival armed groups continue to exert control despite repeated reconciliation efforts.
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