Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of late Libyan leader, has been killed, sources say

The most prominent son of late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, has been killed, sources close to the family, his lawyer Khaled el-Zaydi and Libyan media said on Tuesday.

The office of Libya's attorney general on Wednesday said investigators and forensic doctors examined the body of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi on Tuesday and determined that he died from gunshot wounds.

The office added in a statement that it was working to identify suspects and take the steps needed to bring a criminal case.

While Saif al-Islam is well-known in the north African country, especially for his role in shaping policy before 2011, his public profile has receded in recent years.

In 2015, a Libyan court passed a death sentence in absentia on Saif al-Islam for suppressing peaceful protests during the country's 2011 revolution that ended his father's rule.

He has also been provisionally charged by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity, a case his lawyers failed to dismiss.

In 2021, Saif al-Islam registered as a presidential candidate for a December vote that eventually collapsed amid a political deadlock. 

Reuters