Who is Saif al-Islam Gaddafi? Son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, killed in armed attack | World News

It was reported that Seif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of the slain Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, was killed in an armed attack in Western Libya on Tuesday. The gunmen who attacked him allegedly disabled security cameras before a “direct gunfight” occurred.

ANI reported that Abdullah Othman Abdurrahim, one of Gaddafi’s team, made the announcement on social media platform Facebook, according to Xinhua. He also stated that at noon, four masked gunmen raided Gaddafi’s house in the city of Zintan.

The political team called on the Libyan judiciary and the international community to investigate the attack, identify the attackers and hold accountable those who “planned” the operation.

However, authorities in Tripoli and Zintan have yet to officially confirm the details of the incident, Xinhua reported.

Details of the incident are awaited.

Who was Saif al-Islam Gaddafi?

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi had remained a prominent and polarizing figure in Libya since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that ended his father’s rule.

He was born in 1971 and joined the country’s efforts to establish ties with Western countries in the early 2000s, according to a report by Indian Express.

The report also stated that the International Criminal Court tried to persecute Saif al-Islam Gaddafi on charges of crimes against humanity.

Meanwhile, according to IANS’ report dated March 25, 2023, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi was released from prison in 2017. He was also sentenced to death, but this sentence was later overturned.

It was also reported that he was once considered his father’s heir; but his support for a brutal crackdown on protesters a decade ago tarnished his image.

(with input from agencies)