(Tim Eaton – Chatham House) On Tuesday 3 February, news broke of the killing of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi. Four assailants reportedly entered his compound in the city of Zintan and shot him dead. The events resemble a murder mystery drama. Rumours abound over the perpetrators of the killing and their motivations. Where does this fit politically – is it connected to negotiations over a new government? Or a dispute over national reconciliation talks? Is this the result of a local feud within the city of Zintan? Or could national players have been involved? Both the Government of National Unity (GNU) in Tripoli, led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dabaiba, and the family of Khalifa Haftar, which dominates the east and south of the country, stand to benefit from Saif’s death. But no one has claimed responsibility for the act: doing so could result in potential retribution. So what does the killing say about Libya in 2026? And what are the implications?
The killing of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi is the end of a political era in Libya
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