Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the once-presumed political heir of Libya’s former leader Muammar Gaddafi, has reportedly been killed in an armed attack at his residence in the western Libyan town of Zintan.
His legal team and a close political adviser confirmed the death on Tuesday, although Libyan state authorities have not yet issued an official statement.
Preliminary reports indicate that the 53-year-old was targeted in the early hours of the morning by four unidentified gunmen, who allegedly disabled security systems before carrying out the assault.
Details surrounding the attack remain limited, and no group has claimed responsibility as investigations continue.
Saif al-Islam had remained a deeply polarising figure in Libya’s post-2011 political landscape. Despite facing international arrest warrants and years of relative isolation, he had sought to re-enter national politics, positioning himself as a potential candidate capable of uniting rival factions.
His reported death marks a significant turning point in Libya’s fragile transition process, effectively ending the Gaddafi family’s direct efforts to reclaim political influence more than a decade after the collapse of their rule.
Libya has remained divided by competing governments and armed groups since the NATO-backed uprising that overthrew Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
