In brief
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of Libya's late leader Muammar Gaddafi, has been reported killed near the Libya-Algeria border. His sister confirmed the news via Libyan media, while details regarding the cause of death remain unclear amidst conflicting reports. Once seen as the heir apparent, Saif played a significant role in Libya's political landscape before and after his father's regime and has been linked to numerous controversies.
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of Libya's former leader Col Muammar Gaddafi, has reportedly been killed. The death of the 53-year-old, who was once widely seen as his father's heir apparent, was reported by the head of his political team on Tuesday, according to the Libyan News Agency.
His sister told Libyan TV that he had died near the country's border with Algeria, without confirming how. It remains unclear how he died, with competing reports circulating in Libyan media.
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi was long seen as the most influential and feared figure in the country after his father, who ruled Libya from 1969 until being ousted and killed during an uprising in 2011. Born in 1972, he played a key role in Libya's rapprochement with the West from 2000 until the collapse of the Gaddafi regime.
After his father's removal, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi - who was accused of playing a key role in the brutal repression of anti-government protests - was jailed by a rival militia in the city of Zintan for almost six years. The International Criminal Court wanted to put him on trial for crimes against humanity for his alleged role in the suppression of opposition protests in 2011.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
