Saif al-Islam Gaddafi was killed in Zintan, Libya, on February 3, 2026, by masked gunmen; no group has claimed responsibility.

According to his attorney and political advisor, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, was assassinated on February 3, 2026, in Zintan, western Libya. No group has claimed responsibility, but according to several sources, he was shot by four masked gunmen who turned off surveillance before attacking his house. Once viewed as a reformist and possible successor, the 53-year-old was charged with crimes against humanity by the ICC after being found guilty in absentia of murder and inciting violence during the 2011 uprising. Following his release in 2017, he announced an unsuccessful 2021 presidential bid in an attempt to make a political comeback. Although there has been no official confirmation, the killing is being investigated by Libya's legal system.