Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of Libya’s former leader Muammar Gaddafi, has reportedly been killed in western Libya, according to family-linked sources and local media reports.
The 53-year-old was said to have been killed on Tuesday, February 3, 2026. His lawyer, Khaled el-Zaidi, and political adviser, Abdullah Othman, separately confirmed the development, though Libyan authorities are yet to issue an official statement.
Reports indicate that the incident occurred in the town of Zintan, where Saif al-Islam had been living for several years following his release from detention. Local sources said unidentified gunmen attacked his residence, allegedly disabling security cameras before carrying out the fatal assault.
The Libyan Attorney General’s Office is reported to have opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. However, details remain sketchy, with conflicting accounts emerging from the area. Some reports suggested there may have been armed confrontations near the scene, though these claims have not been independently verified.
A prominent armed group operating in Libya, the 444 Combat Brigade, has denied any involvement in the incident.
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi was once widely viewed as the political heir to his father and played a significant role in Libya’s governance before the 2011 uprising. Educated in the United Kingdom, he was initially perceived as a reform-minded figure but later drew international condemnation for supporting the Gaddafi regime’s violent crackdown on protests during the uprising.
Following the collapse of the Gaddafi government in 2011, he was captured by militia forces in Zintan while attempting to flee the country. He remained in custody for nearly six years and was sentenced to death in absentia by a Libyan court in 2015 over charges linked to the suppression of anti-government demonstrations. He was released in 2017 under a general amnesty.
In 2021, Saif al-Islam attempted a return to Libya’s political scene by registering as a presidential candidate, but the election was later postponed amid political and legal disputes.
Libya has remained politically fragmented since the 2011 conflict, with rival administrations and armed groups competing for control. The reported killing of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi marks a significant development in the country’s prolonged instability.
Authorities are expected to provide further updates as investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding his reported death and the identity of those responsible.
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