Tripoli: Once an heir apparent of his father in Libya's power, the life of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, went through striking turns that ended with his death in mysterious circumstances. A Libyan official confirmed that Saif al-Islam, 53, was killed in the western city of Zintan on Tuesday.
According to Anadolu Agency, Libyan media reported that Saif al-Islam was shot dead by four masked men, while CCTV cameras at his residence were disabled prior to the killing. Moussa Ibrahim, a former spokesman of Gaddafi's government, said Saif al-Islam was 'killed treacherously,' adding that he sought 'a united, sovereign and safe Libya for all its people.' Ibrahim mentioned that he had spoken with Saif al-Islam two days earlier and that his only concern was Libya's stability and the safety of its citizens.
Born on June 5, 1972, inside the Bab al-Aziziya compound in Tripoli, Saif al-Islam was the oldest son of Gaddafi from his second wife, Safia Farkash. He completed his primary education at Omar ibn al-Khattab School in Tripoli, followed by middle school at Martyr Mohammed al-Maqrif School, before graduating from Ali Wreith Public High School. Saif al-Islam studied architecture and earned his degree in 1994 from the Faculty of Engineering at Al-Fateh University in Tripoli. He later studied economics at IMAD University in Austria, earning a master's degree in 2000. He also earned a doctorate from the London School of Economics and Political Science in the United Kingdom.
Saif al-Islam's public profile grew outside formal politics when he became chairman of the Gaddafi International Foundation for Charity Associations and Development in 2003. The foundation played a role in addressing several international disputes and led reconciliation efforts between his father's government and political detainees, particularly Islamist prisoners.
In 2006, the foundation launched an anti-torture campaign in Libya and the Middle East, visiting detention facilities and issuing recommendations aimed at improving prison conditions.
Politically, Saif al-Islam emerged as the face of a reform-oriented current within the Gaddafi regime. In August 2006, he called for a permanent constitution for Libya and later promoted an initiative known as 'Libya Tomorrow.' In 2007, he founded the Libya Tomorrow Foundation, which launched a satellite television channel and two newspapers that were unprecedented in Libya for their relatively wide latitude in criticizing government officials.
However, Saif al-Islam's trajectory collapsed in 2011 during the uprising that toppled the Gaddafi regime. He was captured in November 2011 near the town of Ubari by fighters from Zintan and held in a secret prison. In June 2017, he was released under a general amnesty law passed by Libya's House of Representatives.
The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Saif al-Islam in June 2011, accusing him of crimes against humanity during the uprising. Despite demands for his trial, he reappeared publicly two years ago, announcing his bid for Libya's presidency in elections that have not yet taken place. At that time, he was considered a leading contender.