Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of Libya’s former leader Muammar Gaddafi, has reportedly been shot and killed, according to statements cited by the Libyan News Agency.
The death of the 53-year-old was confirmed on Tuesday by the head of his political team, the agency reported.
His lawyer told Agence France-Presse that a four-man commando unit allegedly carried out an assassination at his home in the city of Zintan, though those responsible have not been identified.
However, conflicting accounts have since emerged. Saif al-Islam Gaddafi’s sister reportedly told Libyan television that he died near Libya’s border with Algeria, casting uncertainty over the circumstances and location of his death.
Saif al-Islam was long regarded as the most influential figure in Libya after his father and was widely viewed as the heir apparent before the collapse of the Gaddafi regime.
Born in 1972, he played a key role in Libya’s rapprochement with Western countries from the early 2000s until the 2011 uprising that ended his father’s 42-year rule.
Following Muammar Gaddafi’s overthrow and killing in 2011, Saif al-Islam was accused of involvement in the violent repression of anti-government protests.
He was later captured and held by a rival militia in Zintan, where he remained imprisoned for nearly six years.
As of the time of reporting, Libyan authorities have not issued an official statement clarifying the circumstances surrounding his reported death, and investigations are yet to be confirmed.
