Thousands gather in Libya for funeral of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi | Muammar Gaddafi News
Funeral Held for Saif al-Islam Gaddafi Following Fatal Shooting
Thousands attended the funeral of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, who was shot dead earlier this week. The burial took place on Friday in Bani Walid, located approximately 175 kilometers (110 miles) south of Tripoli.
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi was killed on Tuesday in his residence in Zintan, a city in northwestern Libya. A statement from his office indicated that he died during a “direct confrontation” with four unidentified gunmen who forcibly entered his home.
In response to the incident, Libya’s attorney general announced an investigation, confirming that forensic examinations revealed Gaddafi, aged 53, succumbed to gunshot wounds. Authorities are currently working to identify the assailants.
“We are here to accompany our beloved one, the son of our leader in whom we placed our hope and our future,” said Waad Ibrahim, a 33-year-old woman from Sirte, nearly 300 kilometers (186 miles) from Bani Walid.
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi was once viewed as a potential successor to his father’s 42-year rule, often acting in a de facto prime minister capacity. Initially portrayed as a moderate reformer, he was instrumental in negotiations regarding Libya’s relinquishment of weapons of mass destruction and addressed the compensation for families affected by the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.
However, this image shifted dramatically during the 2011 uprising, where he warned of “rivers of blood” in response to protests, leading to an arrest warrant being issued by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity.
In 2021, he announced plans to run for the presidency; however, elections intended to unify the fractured nation, as per a United Nations agreement, were postponed indefinitely. Today, Libya remains divided between Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah’s UN-backed government in Tripoli and an eastern administration supported by Khalifa Haftar.
The killing of Gaddafi marks a significant moment in Libya’s ongoing political struggle and occurred shortly after a January 28 meeting in France’s Elysee Palace, which included Haftar’s son and advisors to Dbeibah.
