Seif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of Muammar Gaddafi, at a political event in Sebha, Aug. 20, 2008. (Credit: Mahmud Turkia/AFP)
Saif al-Islam Muammar Gaddafi, one of the sons of the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity, was assassinated on Tuesday in western Libya by unidentified armed men.
"He was killed at 2 p.m. ... in Zenten, in his home, by a four-man commando," his French lawyer, Marcel Ceccaldi, told AFP.
Long seen as his father’s potential successor before the regime’s fall in 2011, Seif al-Islam Gaddafi had long worked to forge an image as a moderate and a reformer, a reputation that collapsed when he promised bloodbaths at the start of the rebellion.
The Libyan prosecutor general’s office announced that investigators and forensic doctors examined the 53-year-old’s body the previous day and determined that he died as a result of gunshot wounds.
The office, quoted by Reuters, added in a statement that it was working to identify the suspects and take the necessary steps to initiate criminal proceedings.
His adviser, Abdullah Othman Abdurrahim, said, according to comments relayed by the Libya Al Ahrar TV channel, that four men "stormed" his residence Tuesday, "after disabling the surveillance cameras, then executed him."
"For now, it is unknown" who these armed men are, said Ceccaldi, who stated he had spoken to his client about three weeks prior.
He clarified he had learned about 10 days ago, from one of Seif al-Islam Gaddafi's relatives, "that there were security concerns."
"The situation was such that the head of the [Gaddafi] tribe called Seif. He told him, 'I’ll send people to ensure your safety.' And Seif refused," he continued.
Divided country
Wanted by the ICC for crimes against humanity, Seif al-Islam Gaddafi was arrested in 2011 in southern Libya.
Long held in Zenten, he was sentenced to death in 2015 following a summary trial before receiving an amnesty.
Until the announcement of his death, his whereabouts were unknown. "He moved frequently," confirmed his lawyer Tuesday.
In 2021, he submitted his candidacy for the presidential election, banking on the support of those nostalgic for the old regime. The election ultimately did not take place.
For expert Emad Badi, Seif al-Islam Gaddafi's death "is likely to turn him into a martyr in the eyes of a significant portion of the population, while shifting electoral balances by removing a major obstacle to the presidential election." For "his candidacy and chances of success had been a central point of controversy," he explained on X.
Former Gaddafi regime spokesperson Moussa Ibrahim condemned a "treacherous" act, stating he spoke to him just two days earlier. "He wanted a united and sovereign Libya, safe for all its people. They have assassinated hope and the future, and sown hatred and resentment," he wrote on X.
Since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi, Libya has struggled to regain its stability and unity. Two governments are vying for power: the Government of National Unity (GNU) in Tripoli, led by Abdelhamid Dbeibah and recognized by the U.N., and an administration in Benghazi (east), controlled by Marshal Haftar and his sons, who have expanded their military presence in the south of the country.
The murder of Seif al-Islam Gaddafi occurred just under three months after the release of his brother, Hannibal Gaddafi, who had been detained for nearly 10 years in Lebanon.
He had been imprisoned since 2015 in Lebanon for "concealment of information" regarding the 1978 disappearance in Libya of Lebanese Shiite cleric and founder of the Lebanese Amal movement, Moussa Sadr, and his two companions. He was only three years old at the time.
