Son of late Libyan leader confirmed dead in W. Libya armed attack

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, was killed in an armed attack in western Libya on Tuesday, according to a statement from his political team.

Marcel Ceccaldi, Gaddafi's lawyer, told the AFP news agency that a four-man commando team attacked the house around 2:00 pm (12:00 GMT), killing the 53-year-old. Gaddafi's adviser, Abdullah Othman Abdurrahim, said the assailants disabled surveillance cameras before executing him.

Libya's attorney general's office said investigators and forensic doctors examined the body and confirmed he died from gunshot wounds, adding that efforts were underway to identify suspects and pursue a criminal case.

Once widely viewed as his father's heir apparent, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi played a prominent role in shaping policy before the 2011 uprising that ended the Gaddafi era. His image as a potential reformer collapsed during the revolt, when he threatened opponents with “rivers of blood.”

His public profile diminished in the years that followed, though he remained a divisive figure. A Libyan court sentenced him to death in absentia in 2015 for his role in suppressing protests, and the International Criminal Court has an outstanding case against him over alleged crimes against humanity. In 2021, he registered to run in presidential elections that were later indefinitely postponed amid political deadlocks.

Ceccaldi said concerns about Gaddafi's security had been raised days before the killing, but that he declined additional protection offered by tribal leaders.

Police say they have not yet determined a motive and those responsible remain unclear.