HIBAPRESS – Follow-up
A source close to the Gaddafi family reported on Tuesday that Saif al-Islam Gaddafi was killed by four gunmen south of the city of Zintan, western Libya.
The source explained that the perpetrators left the scene immediately after Gaddafi was wounded inside his house's garden.
Brigade 444 Denies Responsibility
In contrast, Brigade 444, affiliated with the Government of National Unity, issued a statement denying any connection to the death of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, confirming its non-involvement in the clashes that took place in the city of Zintan.
Birth and Education
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi was born on June 25, 1972, in Tripoli, as the eldest son of Gaddafi's second wife and the second of the Libyan leader's nine children.
He obtained a degree in architecture from Al-Fateh University in 1995, where his father assigned him to design a real estate complex that included housing, hotels, and a mosque.
Academic Path
Five years later, Saif al-Islam pursued his studies in business administration in Vienna, Austria, and received a certificate from the "International Business School."
He then completed his studies in Britain and obtained a doctorate from the London School of Economics and Social Studies in 2008.
Political Activity
Before 2011, Saif al-Islam held leadership roles within the Libyan regime, where he led foreign negotiations and handled internal files, without holding an official government position, and he had a prominent presence in the public arena until 2011.
International Prosecution and Arrest
On June 27, 2010, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants against Gaddafi, Saif al-Islam, and Abdullah al-Senussi, accusing them of committing crimes against humanity during the suppression of protests in Libya.
After fierce battles, the forces of the Transitional Council entered Tripoli in August 2011, and the capital was seized. In October, Muammar Gaddafi was killed after being captured.
Afterward, the Transitional Council conducted extensive searches for Saif al-Islam, who reportedly fled to Niger before his arrest was announced on November 19, 2011, near the town of Ubari in southwestern Libya.
Death Sentence and Pardon
A court in Tripoli issued a death sentence in absentia against Saif al-Islam in 2015, after a trial that included about thirty figures of the regime, on charges of committing war crimes that included killing protesters during the uprising against his father, but the sentence was later overturned, and he was released in June 2017 under the amnesty law, after being detained in Zintan.
Attempt to Return to Political Life
In 2021, he submitted his candidacy papers for the Libyan presidential elections, amid expectations by supporters of the former regime of his return to power, but the elections were not completed due to legal disputes over the eligibility of candidates and political tensions between the camps, and Saif al-Islam remained in Zintan until his assassination today.
Hobbies and Personal Interests
Saif al-Islam was known for his love of wildlife, as he raised two tigers as pets, and he practiced falconry, in addition to his interest in painting as a personal hobby.
