Seif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of former Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi, will be buried in the town of Bani Walid, south of Tripoli, relatives announced on Thursday. The town has remained loyal to the Gaddafi family since the 2011 uprising.
Seif al-Islam was shot dead on Tuesday in Zintan, a city in northwestern Libya. His half-brother Mohamed Gaddafi said on Facebook that the burial arrangements were agreed upon by the family, reflecting respect for Bani Walid, a town that continues to honor the late leader.
Saadi Gaddafi, another brother, added that Seif al-Islam would be laid to rest among the Werfalla, a prominent local tribe, in a grave beside his brother Khamis Gaddafi, who died during the 2011 unrest.
According to French lawyer Marcel Ceccaldi, Seif al-Islam was killed by a four-man commando unit that stormed his residence.
Seif al-Islam had long been regarded as his father’s heir and was often seen as the de facto prime minister during Muammar Gaddafi’s 40-year rule. He cultivated an image of moderation and reform but later threatened “rivers of blood” in retaliation for the 2011 uprising.
He was arrested that year on an International Criminal Court warrant for alleged crimes against humanity and was later sentenced to death by a Tripoli court, though he was eventually granted amnesty. In 2021, he announced plans to run for president, but the elections were indefinitely postponed.
Seif al-Islam is survived by four siblings: Mohamed, Saadi, Aicha, and Hannibal, the latter recently released from a Lebanese prison on bail.
Libya continues to struggle with political instability, divided between a UN-backed government in Tripoli and an eastern administration led by Khalifa Haftar.
