Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, Son Of Late Libyan Dictator, Killed In Zintan

Zintan: Former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's second son Saif al-Islam Gaddafi has reportedly been killed in the western city of Libya's Zintan. The news was confirmed by an Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent in Libya, who cited sources close to the Gaddafi family. His death marks the end of an era for the Gaddafi family, who had ruled Libya with an iron fist for over four decades. 

According to the reports, the circumstances surrounding Saif al-Islam's death are still unclear, but reports suggest he was shot and killed in Zintan, where he had been based for the past decade. The city has been a stronghold of anti-Gaddafi forces, and it is believed that Saif al-Islam had been living there under the protection of local militias.

Pertinently, Saif al-Islam was a prominent figure in Libyan politics, having been touted as his father's successor. He had been involved in various reform efforts, but his public profile had receded in recent years. In 2015, a Libyan court sentenced him to death in absentia for suppressing peaceful protests during the 2011 revolution that toppled his father's regime.

He had also been provisionally charged by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity, a case his lawyers failed to dismiss. In 2021, Saif al-Islam registered as a presidential candidate for a December vote that eventually collapsed amid a political deadlock.

Saif al-Islam's advisor Abdullah Othman confirmed his death, stating, "Saif al-Islam Gaddafi has been killed in Zintan. We condemn this brutal act and demand justice". Sergio Gor, a journalist and expert on Libyan affairs, tweeted, "Saif al-Islam Gaddafi killed in Zintan, Libya. The son of Muammar Gaddafi has been a fugitive since the fall of his father's regime in 2011".

Rise And Fall Of Saif al-Islam

Born on June 25, 1972, Saif al-Islam was considered a reformist within the Gaddafi regime. He had a longstanding rivalry with his hardline brother Mutassim and his influence began to wane after the lifting of international sanctions. In November 2010, Saif's independent newspaper was suspended after it published an article calling for a ‘final assault’ on his father's government.

During the 2011 Libyan civil war, Saif al-Islam delivered an address to the nation on Libyan state television, stating that if no agreement could be found between protesters and the government, “Thousands of deaths, and rivers of blood will run through Libya.” He also insisted that his father remained in charge with the army's backing and would "fight until the last man, the last woman, the last bullet".

The Libyan government has yet to comment officially on the circumstances of his death. The International Criminal Court had issued an arrest warrant for Saif al-Islam in 2011 for crimes against humanity, and his death raises questions about accountability for past atrocities. The killing of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi is seen as a turning point in Libya's tumultuous history.