Tripoli, Feb 5, (V7N) – Seif al-Islam Gaddafi, the slain son of former Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi, will be buried Friday in Bani Walid, a town south of Tripoli that has remained loyal to the Gaddafi family, relatives confirmed.

Seif al-Islam, once considered his father’s heir apparent, was shot dead Tuesday in Zintan by what his lawyer described as a “four-man commando” that stormed his home. His brothers Mohamed and Saadi said the burial site was chosen out of respect for Bani Walid, where residents continue to commemorate Muammar Gaddafi’s 1969 coup.

Saadi Gaddafi noted his brother will be laid to rest among the Werfalla tribe, beside Khamis Gaddafi, who died during the 2011 unrest.

Seif al-Islam had played a prominent role during his father’s rule, often seen as a de facto prime minister despite holding no official post. His image as a reformer collapsed in 2011 when he vowed “rivers of blood” against protesters. He was later arrested under an International Criminal Court warrant for alleged crimes against humanity, sentenced to death in Tripoli, and eventually granted amnesty.

In 2021, he announced a presidential bid, but elections were postponed indefinitely. He is survived by siblings Mohamed, Saadi, Aicha, and Hannibal.

Libya remains deeply divided between a UN-backed government in Tripoli and an eastern administration aligned with Khalifa Haftar, with instability persisting since the 2011 uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi.

END/SMA/RH/