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Seif al-Islam al-Qaddafi, the son of former Libyan leader Muammar al-Qaddafi, has reportedly been killed by “four masked men,” as stated by his representatives.
The 53-year-old’s death occurred in Zintan, a town situated southwest of Libya’s capital, Tripoli, according to information from The Associated Press, which referenced Libya’s chief prosecutor’s office. The report confirmed that Seif al-Islam was shot to death, although no further details were provided. Additionally, Khaled al-Zaidi, who served as Seif al-Islam’s lawyer, verified the news of his death on Facebook.
The Associated Press, citing Seif al-Islam’s team, reported that the “masked men” infiltrated his residence and carried out what they described as a “cowardly and treacherous assassination.” His team further alleged that the attackers disabled the CCTV cameras at the property in a bid to erase evidence of their criminal actions.
A portrait of Seif al-Islam al-Qaddafi reveals his identity as the second son of Muammar al-Qaddafi and his second wife, Safia Farkash. (Jason Florio/Corbis via Getty Images)
Born in 1972, Seif al-Islam was the second son of the long-time ruler Muammar al-Qaddafi. He pursued higher education at the London School of Economics, where he completed a Ph.D. program.
Seif al-Islam al-Qaddafi is seen after his capture in the custody of revolutionary fighters in Zintan, Libya, Nov. 19, 2011. (AP Photo/Ammar El-Darwish, File)
Seif al-Islam, who was seen by many as Libya’s face to the West, has been described as the most influential man in the country, despite the fact that he did not hold an official position. He led the talks on Libya abandoning weapons of mass destruction and negotiated compensation for the loved ones of those killed in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, Reuters reported.
Muammar al-Qaddafi, who ruled Libya since 1969, was toppled and killed in a NATO-backed popular uprising in 2011. The uprising led to a civil war, and the country has since become divided between rival armed groups and militias, the AP noted. In late 2011, Seif al-Islam was captured by fighters while trying to flee to Niger and was later released in June 2017 when one of Libya’s rival governments granted him amnesty, according to the AP.
A member of the Libyan pro-government forces stands in front of the ruins of a shopping mall in Benghazi, Libya, May 21, 2015. (Stringer/Reuters)
In November 2021, Seif al-Islam announced his candidacy in the country’s presidential election, but was eventually disqualified by Libya’s High National Elections Committee, the AP reported.