The African Union (AU) condemned the assassination of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi because they considered it a direct attack against peace initiatives, which created significant obstacles for national unity efforts.
The official statements from Gaddafi’s political team report that Saif al-Islam Gaddafi died during an armed assault that occurred on February 3, 2026, in Zintan City. A group of four masked gunmen broke into his home after they disabled all security systems, which allowed them to shoot him dead, and this event created immediate anger among Libyan groups and international organizations.
In his urgent announcement, AU Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf declared that the assassination poses a major threat to the establishment of an authentic and complete political platform in Libya, which has experienced internal conflicts since the Gaddafi government collapsed in 2011. The AU demanded a complete investigation, which should result in punishment for the guilty parties according to legal procedures, while they requested all political leaders to maintain peaceful conduct.
Mohamed Al-Menfi, the head of Libya’s Presidential Council, issued a warning to political groups and media and civic leaders to stop using dangerous speech, which would make the situation worse during the investigation of the murder. The investigation team has already sent forensic personnel to Zintan to begin their work.
Gaddafi’s death creates an impact that extends beyond his native city. The sudden removal of the candidate who once had the ability to unite opposing factions between the Tripoli UN-backed regime and the strong eastern militia forces served to eliminate an important unifying element.
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