BREAKING: Saif al-Islam Gaddafi Assassinated in Libya 🇱🇾

Zintan, Libya — February 3, 2026 — Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the 53-year-old son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, has been killed in an apparent assassination in Libya’s western city of Zintan, according to multiple news outlets, family sources, and his political advisers. 

Initial reports indicate that four unidentified gunmen raided his residence late Tuesday night, disabling security cameras before fatally shooting him in what many are describing as an assassination. The attackers fled the scene, and investigations into the precise details and motives of the killing are ongoing.

Who Was Saif al-Islam Gaddafi?

Saif al-Islam was the second son of long-time Libyan ruler Moammar Gaddafi, who governed Libya from 1969 until he was ousted and killed during the 2011 Arab Spring uprising.

For years, Saif was seen as his father’s heir apparent and a central figure in the regime’s inner circle, wielding significant influence over policy and diplomatic missions before 2011. 

After the revolution, he was captured in November 2011 while attempting to flee the country and held by a militia group in Zintan. In 2015, a Libyan court sentenced him to death in absentia for his role in suppressing protests, and he was also wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of crimes against humanity. He was later released under amnesty in 2017. 

Return to Public Life and Political Ambitions

In recent years, Saif had attempted a political comeback. In 2021, he registered to run in Libya’s presidential elections — a move that drew both support and fierce criticism given his controversial past — but the elections were ultimately postponed amid ongoing political instability. 

Circumstances of the Killing Still Unclear

Details surrounding the incident remain scarce. Libyan authorities have not yet released an official statement, and no group has claimed responsibility. Local media reports differ slightly on the location and sequence of events, but the consensus is that he was shot dead at or near his home in Zintan. 

One Libyan news source cited clashes with an armed brigade as part of the incident, though that account has not been independently verified and was denied by the unit named. 

Regional Repercussions

Saif al-Islam’s death marks a significant moment in Libya’s protracted turmoil, where rival factions and militias have vied for power in the vacuum left since 2011. His assassination has the potential to further destabilize the country’s fragile peace process and fracture relationships among rival political and military groups.