Son of former Libyan dictator Muammar al-Qaddafi killed by masked men, reps say

Seif al-Islam al-Qaddafi, the lad of the precocious Libyan dictator Muammar al-Qaddafi, was reportedly killed by "four masked men," according to his team.

The 53-year-old was killed successful the municipality of Zintan, which is located southwest of the country's capital, Tripoli, according to The Associated Press, which cited Libya’s main prosecutor’s office. The bureau said helium was changeable to death, but did not supply different details, according to the AP. Additionally, the outlet said that Khaled al-Zaidi, a lawyer for Seif al-Islam, confirmed his decease connected Facebook.

The "masked men" allegedly stormed Seif al-Islam's location and killed him successful a "cowardly and treacherous assassination," the AP reported, citing Seif al-Islam's team. The squad besides claimed successful its connection that the assailants closed the CCTV cameras astatine the location "in a hopeless effort to conceal traces of their heinous crimes," according to the AP.

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Portrait of Seif al-Islam al-Qaddafi. He is the 2nd lad of the precocious Libyan dictator Muammar al-Qaddafi and his 2nd woman Safia Farkash.  ( Jason Florio/Corbis via Getty Images)

Born successful 1972, Seif al-Islam was the second-born lad of longtime dictator al-Qaddafi. He was educated astatine the London School of Economics, wherever helium studied for a Ph.D.

Seif al-Islam is seen aft his seizure successful the custody of revolutionary fighters successful Zintan, Libya, Nov. 19, 2011.  (AP Photo/Ammar El-Darwish, File)

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Seif al-Islam, who was seen by galore arsenic Libya's look to the West, has been described arsenic the astir influential antheral successful the country, contempt the information that helium did not clasp an authoritative position. He led the talks connected Libya abandoning weapons of wide demolition and negotiated compensation for the loved ones of those killed successful the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, Reuters reported.

Muammar al-Qaddafi, who ruled Libya since 1969, was toppled and killed successful a NATO-backed fashionable uprising successful 2011. The uprising led to a civilian war, and the state has since go divided betwixt rival equipped groups and militias, the AP noted. In precocious 2011, Seif al-Islam was captured by fighters portion trying to fly to Niger and was aboriginal released successful June 2017 erstwhile 1 of Libya's rival governments granted him amnesty, according to the AP.

A subordinate of the Libyan pro-government forces stands successful beforehand of the ruins of a buying promenade successful Benghazi, Libya, May 21, 2015.  (Stringer/Reuters)

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In November 2021, Seif al-Islam announced his candidacy successful the country's statesmanlike election, but was yet disqualified by Libya's High National Elections Committee, the AP reported.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.