Saif al-Islam Gaddafi dies amid a failed comeback in Libya
TOI GLOBAL DESK | TOI GLOBAL | Feb 05, 2026, 23:10 IST
The situation in Libya becomes more dangerous because Saif al-Islam Gaddafi died from gunfire, according to his political team, who reported his death at his Zintan home.
TL;DR
Northwest Libya saw gunfire take Saif al-Islam Gaddafi’s life. With political fractures still present, his return to visibility ended abruptly. A figure once sidelined now lies dead during a fragile moment.
A bullet ended Saif al-Islam Gaddafi's life inside his residence in Zintan, a town in northwest Libya, on Tuesday. The 53-year-old, once heir apparent under his father’s regime, died through violence which took place inside his own home. News emerged through an announcement delivered by the chief of his political office. Once viewed as a reformist voice, later seen as a hardliner, he remained divisive until death came swiftly. Moammar Gaddafi’s son had survived trials, imprisonment, and shifting alliances across years. Now stillness replaces motion.
At dawn, Abdullah Othman, serving as top political advisor to Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, reported that armed men wearing masks forced entry into the home, cutting off surveillance systems before delivering lethal gunfire. Though labelled an assassination by Othman, who urged impartial inquiry, clarity remains absent due to silence from state channels in Libya through Tuesday. No group has accepted responsibility for the attack, which has resulted in incomplete information because there is no way to confirm what happened.
Libya remains politically divided between two sides because Moammar Gaddafi lost power more than ten years ago. The current division between different groups has led to new outbreaks of violence which now take place in the country. Once kept from influence, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi lately began appearing before followers. To them, he offered an image of unity amid chaos. His presence stirred attention where stability lacks.
On June 25, 1972, in Tripoli, came the birth of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, over time seen as the leading son among his siblings, possibly next in line. Learning began locally, then moved beyond national borders; early appearances suggested openness to change. The Libyan population experienced a fundamental change in their view of the situation because the 2011 unrest, along with a television speech, showed them that resistance would lead to national destruction through extended national disarray.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Moammar Gaddafi and his son Saif al-Islam during June 2011 to answer for their roles in violent government responses to protests against their leadership. Moammar died before the year ended, while his successor remained missing for several weeks because he stayed hidden from view. Nevertheless, pursuit continued until capture occurred far from initial locations.
The capture of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi occurred in November 2011, carried out by a Zintan militia; detention followed for multiple years. By 2017, liberation came about through an amnesty measure, contested in nature, from Libya’s eastern legislature. Despite such developments, the validity of the ICC arrest warrant continues unchanged. Held status gave way to freedom, though legal pursuit persists beyond national decisions.
Appearing again in public during November 2021, he filed papers to run in Libya’s overdue presidential vote, records show through the High National Elections Commission. Division grew sharper once his name entered the race. Stability, some claimed, could come from familiar leadership under him; others insisted that legacy carried only old abuses without justice addressed. Following conflict among officials on rules and safety concerns, electoral authorities halted proceedings; no new date followed. Later, uncertainty remained fixed in place.
A report from someone near Saif al-Islam Gaddafi indicated efforts toward a plan aimed at unity within the country during the period leading up to his passing. Though details remained sparse, the initiative emerged quietly through informal channels. Information surfaced gradually, shaped by conversations held behind closed doors. The idea gained subtle momentum without public announcements. Timing played a role, unfolding amid shifting dynamics across the region. What began as quiet dialogue eventually took on broader implications. Reflections on the attempt appeared only after events reached their conclusion.
On Tuesday, his campaign called on global rights groups, the UN, and Libya’s legal system to examine the killing openly. The murder highlights how unstable Libya remains, especially for leaders navigating a fractured state lacking cohesive authority, according to experts.
Northwest Libya saw gunfire take Saif al-Islam Gaddafi’s life. With political fractures still present, his return to visibility ended abruptly. A figure once sidelined now lies dead during a fragile moment.
A bullet ended Saif al-Islam Gaddafi's life inside his residence in Zintan, a town in northwest Libya, on Tuesday. The 53-year-old, once heir apparent under his father’s regime, died through violence which took place inside his own home. News emerged through an announcement delivered by the chief of his political office. Once viewed as a reformist voice, later seen as a hardliner, he remained divisive until death came swiftly. Moammar Gaddafi’s son had survived trials, imprisonment, and shifting alliances across years. Now stillness replaces motion.
At dawn, Abdullah Othman, serving as top political advisor to Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, reported that armed men wearing masks forced entry into the home, cutting off surveillance systems before delivering lethal gunfire. Though labelled an assassination by Othman, who urged impartial inquiry, clarity remains absent due to silence from state channels in Libya through Tuesday. No group has accepted responsibility for the attack, which has resulted in incomplete information because there is no way to confirm what happened.
Libya remains politically divided between two sides because Moammar Gaddafi lost power more than ten years ago. The current division between different groups has led to new outbreaks of violence which now take place in the country. Once kept from influence, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi lately began appearing before followers. To them, he offered an image of unity amid chaos. His presence stirred attention where stability lacks.
On June 25, 1972, in Tripoli, came the birth of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, over time seen as the leading son among his siblings, possibly next in line. Learning began locally, then moved beyond national borders; early appearances suggested openness to change. The Libyan population experienced a fundamental change in their view of the situation because the 2011 unrest, along with a television speech, showed them that resistance would lead to national destruction through extended national disarray.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Moammar Gaddafi and his son Saif al-Islam during June 2011 to answer for their roles in violent government responses to protests against their leadership. Moammar died before the year ended, while his successor remained missing for several weeks because he stayed hidden from view. Nevertheless, pursuit continued until capture occurred far from initial locations.
The capture of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi occurred in November 2011, carried out by a Zintan militia; detention followed for multiple years. By 2017, liberation came about through an amnesty measure, contested in nature, from Libya’s eastern legislature. Despite such developments, the validity of the ICC arrest warrant continues unchanged. Held status gave way to freedom, though legal pursuit persists beyond national decisions.
Appearing again in public during November 2021, he filed papers to run in Libya’s overdue presidential vote, records show through the High National Elections Commission. Division grew sharper once his name entered the race. Stability, some claimed, could come from familiar leadership under him; others insisted that legacy carried only old abuses without justice addressed. Following conflict among officials on rules and safety concerns, electoral authorities halted proceedings; no new date followed. Later, uncertainty remained fixed in place.
A report from someone near Saif al-Islam Gaddafi indicated efforts toward a plan aimed at unity within the country during the period leading up to his passing. Though details remained sparse, the initiative emerged quietly through informal channels. Information surfaced gradually, shaped by conversations held behind closed doors. The idea gained subtle momentum without public announcements. Timing played a role, unfolding amid shifting dynamics across the region. What began as quiet dialogue eventually took on broader implications. Reflections on the attempt appeared only after events reached their conclusion.
On Tuesday, his campaign called on global rights groups, the UN, and Libya’s legal system to examine the killing openly. The murder highlights how unstable Libya remains, especially for leaders navigating a fractured state lacking cohesive authority, according to experts.