2 min readUpdated: Feb 4, 2026 04:44 PM IST
Saif al-Islam shot dead: Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, has reportedly been shot dead. As per British broadcaster BBC, the 53-year-old, once viewed as his father’s likely successor, was confirmed dead on Tuesday by the head of his political office, the Libyan News Agency reported.
His lawyer was quoted as saying by news agency AFP that “four armed men” carried out the attack at his residence in Zintan. However, details about those responsible remain unclear. His sister, however, told Libyan television that he died close to the Libya-Algeria border. Gaddafi’s political team has demanded an international probe into the killing.
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Saif al-Islam was among Libya’s most powerful leaders
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi was widely regarded as one of the country’s most powerful and controversial figures after his father, who governed Libya from 1969 until he was overthrown and killed during the 2011 uprising.
Born in 1972, he was closely involved in Libya’s efforts to rebuild ties with Western nations in the early 2000s, a period that lasted until the fall of the Gaddafi administration.
Following the collapse of the regime, he was detained by a militia group in Zintan and remained in captivity for nearly six years. He was accused of being heavily involved in the violent crackdown on anti-government protests during the 2011 Libyan Civil War.
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Sentenced to Death in 2015
The International Criminal Court sought to prosecute him on charges of crimes against humanity related to the suppression of dissent during the uprising. In 2015, a Libyan court in Tripoli sentenced him to death in absentia over his alleged role in the government’s response to protests.
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, in 2021, declared his intention to contest Libya’s presidential election, which was later postponed indefinitely.
