Thousands gathered on Friday in Bani Walid to bury Seif al-Islam Gaddafi, slain son of Libya’s former ruler Muammar Gaddafi.
Once viewed by supporters as a potential successor, Seif al-Islam was shot dead at his home in Zintan on Tuesday.
His burial drew loyalists from across Libya, highlighting enduring allegiance to the Gaddafi legacy nearly fifteen years after the 2011 uprising.
Mourners carried portraits of the former leader and Libya’s pre-revolution green flag, chanting slogans pledging loyalty and vengeance.
“We came to accompany the son of our leader, in whom we placed our hope,” said Waad Ibrahim, who travelled from Sirte.
She blamed Libya’s rival eastern and western authorities, citing recent foreign-backed talks she said sought to remove Seif al-Islam as an obstacle.
Libya remains divided between the UN-backed Tripoli government led by Abdulhamid Dbeibah and an eastern administration allied with Khalifa Haftar.
Analysts say the killing could reshape stalled political plans, with some arguing elections may now proceed without Seif al-Islam’s candidacy.
In 2021, he announced a presidential bid, but elections meant to reunify Libya were postponed indefinitely amid legal and security disputes.
French lawyer Marcel Ceccaldi said Seif al-Islam was killed by a four-man commando, as authorities confirmed an ongoing investigation.
He will be buried beside his brother Khamis, killed during the 2011 conflict that ended four decades of Gaddafi rule.
Seen once as a reformist figure, Seif al-Islam’s image collapsed after threatening “rivers of blood” during the uprising that engulfed Libya.
