Sohn von libyschem Ex-Diktator Gaddafi offenbar bei Anschlag getötet

BERLINER ZEITUNG: Saif al-Islam Gaddafi soll in seinem Haus von vier Männern erschossen worden sein. Noch sind viele Fragen offen.

Screenshot aus diesem Artikel. | Saif al-Islam, Sohn des Langzeitmachthabers al-Gaddafi, während einer Pressekonferenz in einem Hotel im Jahr 2011. | Ben Curtis/AP
Der Sohn des früheren libyschen Diktators Muammar Gaddafi ist tot. Saif al-Islam Gaddafi wurde nach Angaben seines Anwalts unter unklaren Umständen am Dienstag getötet. Das berichtete etwa die libysche Nachrichtenportal Libya Today.

Vier maskierte Männer seien in das Anwesen von Saif al-Islam Gaddafi in der nordwestlibyschen Stadt Sintan eingedrungen und hätten den 53-Jährigen erschossen, wie sein politischer Berater Abdullah Othman Abdurrahim mitteilte. Die Angreifer hätten zuvor die Überwachungskameras deaktiviert, erklärte Abdurrahim in einer Stellungnahme in sozialen Medien. Er bezeichnete die Tat als „verräterisch und feige“. In einer abweichenden Darstellung der Ereignisse erklärte seine Schwester im libyschen Fernsehen, Gaddafi sei nahe der Grenze des Landes zu Algerien gestorben, wie BBC berichtete. » | Sophie Barkey | Mittwoch, 4. Februar 2026

Article connexe en français ici.

BBC: Libyan prosecutors launch probe into killing of Gaddafi's son: Libyan prosecutors say they are investigating the killing of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of the country's long-time leader Col Muammar Gaddafi. »

Libye : Seif al-Islam Kadhafi, l’un des fils de l’ancien dictateur, est mort

LE FIGARO : Recherché par la Cour pénale internationale (CPI) pour crimes contre l’humanité, le fils du dirigeant libyen Mouammar Kadhafi est décédé ce mardi.

Seif al-Islam Kadhafi, l’un des fils de l’ex-dictateur Mouammar Kadhafi, longtemps vu comme son successeur potentiel et recherché par la Cour pénale internationale (CPI) pour crimes contre l’humanité, est mort, ont annoncé ses proches sans plus de détails. Son conseiller, Abdullah Othman Abdurrahim, a indiqué qu’il était décédé dans une publication sur Facebook, sans autres précisions.

« Le docteur Seif al-Islam est tombé en martyr », a de son côté déclaré son cousin, Hamid Kadhafi, par téléphone à la chaîne Libya al-Ahrar. « Nous n’avons pas d’autres informations », a-t-il ajouté. Selon plusieurs médias, il serait mort au sud de la ville de Zenten, dans l’ouest de la Libye. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mardi 3 février 2026

Today, Trump’s Target Was Caracas. What Tomorrow?

THE GUARDIAN: He took office promising to annex Greenland and take back the Panama Canal. Now that he has ousted Maduro, other countries could be next

“This is genius,” Donald Trump enthused. It was February 22, 2022. Vladimir Putin had just declared parts of eastern Ukraine to be independent and sent in Russian troops to serve as so-called peacekeepers. The once and future American president was impressed, even inspired. “We could use that on our southern border,” Trump mused.

Trump didn’t know then that he was speaking at the start of a full-scale invasion that has lasted nearly four years and inflicted upwards of 1.5 million casualties and counting. And Trump doesn’t know now what he has unleashed in Venezuela. The South American country is not Ukraine, nor, for that matter, is it Afghanistan, Iraq, or Libya. But by ordering military strikes to seize dictator Nicolás Maduro, Trump has thrown a country of around 28 million people into uncertainty and tossed aside the most obvious, hard-won lesson of decades of US foreign policy failures: regime-change wars are easy to start and hard to win, much less to turn into anything resembling genuine success.

So far, Trump has taken step one, if that. He has yet to bring down Venezuela’s regime, only to decapitate it, scooping up the man at the top. In his speech announcing the war, however, Trump played the conquering hero. The president boasted at length about the “overwhelming military power” he had exhibited, as though the United States did not possess a long record of smashing operational triumphs — recall “shock and awe” in Baghdad — that gave way to strategic disaster. » | Stephen Wertheim* | Sunday, January 4, 2026

* Stephen Wertheim is a senior fellow in the American Statecraft Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a visiting lecturer at Yale Law School

Donald Trump’s Attack on Venezuela Is Illegal and Unwise

THE NEW YORK TIMES — OPINION: Over the past few months, President Trump has deployed an imposing military force in the Caribbean to threaten Venezuela. Until now, the president used that force — an aircraft carrier, at least seven other warships, scores of aircraft and 15,000 U.S. troops — for illegal attacks on small boats that he claimed were ferrying drugs. This weekend, Mr. Trump dramatically escalated his campaign by capturing Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro as part of what he called ”a large scale strike” against the country.

Few people will feel any sympathy for Mr. Maduro. He is undemocratic and repressive, and has destabilized the Western Hemisphere in recent years. The United Nations recently issued a report detailing more than a decade of killings, torture, sexual violence and arbitrary detention by henchmen against his political opponents. He stole Venezuela’s presidential election last year. He has fueled economic and political disruption throughout the region by instigating an exodus of nearly eight million migrants.

If there is an overriding lesson of American foreign affairs in the past century, however, it is that attempting to oust even the most deplorable regime can make matters worse. The United States spent 20 years failing to create a stable government in Afghanistan and it replaced a dictatorship in Libya with a fractured state. The tragic consequences of the 2003 war in Iraq continue to beset America and the Middle East. Perhaps most relevant, the United States has sporadically destabilized Latin American countries, including Chile, Cuba, Guatemala and Nicaragua, by trying to oust a government through force.

Mr. Trump has not yet offered a coherent explanation for his actions in Venezuela. He is pushing our country toward an international crisis without valid reasons. If Mr. Trump wants to argue otherwise, the Constitution spells out what he must do: Go to Congress. Without congressional approval, his actions violate United States law. » | The Editorial Board | Saturday, January 3, 2026

Donald Trump was thoroughly irresponsible to launch this attack. This sets a precedent for other authoritarian leaders to follow suit. Further, for Trump to assert that Nicolás Maduro was corrupt is just plain silly and hypocritical. Who is more corrupt than Trump? This is a textbook example of the pot calling the kettle black!

But the most disturbing aspect of this for me is Trump’s proclivity to interfere in the internal affairs of other nations. He has stated that he wants to change the politics of Europe, of the European Union.

If Trump really wanted to do something useful, he should have shown strength, not weakness, in dealing with his buddy in Russia, to stop the killing in Ukraine.

Moreover, as for Maduro treating his citizens badly… That’s exactly what Trump is doing with many American citizens when he disappears them and sends unknown numbers to concentration camps.

My guess is that Trump has his eyes firmly on the oil wealth of Venezuela. In this illegal move, he sees billions of dollars for himself, his family, and his cronies. But that oil wealth belongs to Venezuelans, not Americans. And it certainly does not belong to the Trumps! — © Mark Alexander

Nicolas Sarkozy Says He Wants to ‘Prove His Innocence’ as He Is Released from Prison

THE GUARDIAN: Former French president, who said his three weeks in jail had been a ‘nightmare’, will serve rest of sentence outside pending appeal

Nicolas Sarkozy has said he wants to “prove his innocence” after being released from prison while he appeals against his conviction for criminal conspiracy over a scheme to obtain election campaign funds from Libya.

After 20 days in jail that he had earlier described as “gruelling” and a “nightmare”, the former French president was driven away from La Santé prison in Paris on Monday accompanied by his wife, the singer Carla Bruni-Sarkozy.

The 70-year-old wrote on social media: “The law has been applied. I will now prepare for an appeal. My energy is focused solely on proving my innocence. The truth will prevail.” » | Angelique Chrisafis in Paris | Monday, November 10, 2025

Nicolas Sarkozy libéré : les images de sa sortie de la prison de la Santé : À bord d’une voiture aux vitres teintées, escortée par des motards de la police, l’ancien président de la République a rejoint son domicile du XVIe arrondissement parisien. »

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy Given Five-year Sentence after Libya Case | BBC News

Sep 25, 2025 | ormer French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been sentenced to five years in jail after being found guilty of criminal conspiracy in a case related to millions of euros of illicit funds from the late Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi.

The Paris criminal court acquitted him of all other charges, including passive corruption and illegal campaign financing.

The ruling means he will spend time in jail even if he launches an appeal, which Sarkozy says he intends to do.

Speaking after Thursday's hearing, the 70-year-old, who was president from 2007-12, said the verdict was "extremely serious for rule of law".

Nicolas Sarkozy Given Five-year Prison Sentence after Libya Trial

THE GUARDIAN: Former French president found guilty of criminal conspiracy after being accused of pact with Gaddafi regime

The former French president Nicolas Sarkozy said he would “sleep in jail but with my head held high” after receiving a five-year prison sentence – the first time a former head of state has been sent to prison in modern French history – for criminal conspiracy.

The verdict and sentencing followed a trial in which he and his aides were accused of making a corruption pact with the regime of the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi to receive funding for the 2007 French presidential election campaign.

In a surprise ruling, the head judge, Nathalie Gavarino, handed down a special form of sentence that means Sarkozy, 70, will have to serve a prison term even if he appeals. She justified the conviction and sentencing on the grounds the offences were of “exceptional gravity” and “likely to undermine citizens’ trust.”

The start of Sarkozy’s sentence will be set at a later date, with prosecutors given a month to inform the former head of state when he should go to prison.

The judge also ordered Sarkozy to pay a €100,000 (£87,000) fine. » | Angelique Chrisafis in Paris | Thursday, September 25, 2025

Article connexe en français.

Can Restoring Libya’s Monarchy Fix the Post-Gaddafi Chaos?

Oct 4, 2024 | The legacy of the Senussi family hangs in the balance, as does the future of Libya. With Mohamed El Senussi leading the charge, the possibility of a new dawn—defined by unity, justice, and stability—approaches. As he stands at the threshold of history, the question remains: will Libya embrace its past to forge a brighter future? Only time will tell.


WIKIPEDIA: Mohammed El Senussi »

The official site in English of Prince Mohammed El Senussi here and in Arabic here.

WIKIPEDIA: Senusiyya »

Son of a Dictator | Reupload | ARTE.tv Documentary

Jul 20, 2024 | From his gilded youth in Europe to the bloody repression of the Arab Spring, this is the engrossing story of Muammar Gaddafi's second son who, despite arrest warrants for crimes against humanity, is running for election in Libya.

How Libya's Governing Authorities Are Handling the Aid Effort | DW News

Sep 18, 2023 | One week on from Libya's devastasting floods, the UN is warning about two more dams in the east, that could burst near Benghazi. The UN's humanitarian office says the dams are under massive pressure, after torrential rains. Local authorities say both dams are in good condition.

Residents in Derna say similar warnings went unheeded for years, before two dams ruptured last week, releasing a wall of water, that swept whole neighborhoods out to sea. The World Health Organization says nearly 4,000 people have been counted dead, and 9,000 are still missing. The aid effort is gathering pace.

Libya Flooding: Recovering and Identifying the Dead in Derna – BBC News

Sep 18, 2023 | A week after catastrophic floods devastated the Libyan city of Derna, rescue teams are continuing to recover dead bodies. The UN says the death toll so far stands at some 11,300. The final total remains unclear - although the one thing that is certain is the sheer scale of this catastrophe. More than 10,000 people remain officially missing, according to figures from the UN's Office for the Co-Ordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

How the People of Libya Have to Deal with Devastation, Spreading Diseases and Trauma | DW News

Sep 15, 2023 | Libya's Red Crescent says more than 11,000 people have died in floods in the city of Derna. But that death toll has yet to be verified, and Libyan officials say it is likely to rise.

Large parts of the coastal city were swept away after torrential rain caused two dams to burst. Now there are concerns about the spread of disease, with many bodies lying among the ruins.

For more we talk to Ahmed Bayram. He is with the relief organization Norwegian Refugee Council, and he joins us from neighboring Tunisia. And we talk to Aya Burweila in Athens. She's a widely published expert and commentator on security with a special focus on Libya.

Gaddafi: The Endgame : State of Denial | Documentary

Dec 23, 2011 | State of Denial is the story of the fall of the Gaddafi regime as told by the insiders, defectors and military advisors who helped to bring it about.

Written and directed by Anne Reevell of Moonbeam Films, the film offers a revealing behind-the-scenes account of a revolution, a slice of history in which people took back power.

"The disintegration of the Gaddafi regime in Libya surprised and confused the world - not because it happened in the first place, but because Gaddafi's government remained convinced it could prevail - despite defections, NATO airstrikes and a popular mass uprising," says Reevell.

As the rebels continue to advance towards Tripoli, the Libyan authorities there are in a state of denial, convinced they can still talk to the British government, denouncing the foreign media, burning the homes of Libyan exiles and organising anti-NATO demonstrations in London.

The message they relay says there is 'no compromise on leadership,' but do they mean it or are hairline fractures beginning to emerge?

Using the oral diary of a Tripoli-based insider, as well as interviews with the UK prime minister's senior advisor on Libya and leading figures in Benghazi and Tripoli, State of Denial explores the demise of Gaddafi's powerbase and charts the twists and turns of a regime in denial.

Libya and Morocco: Two Very Different Responses to Catastrophe

THE GUARDIAN: The aftermath of an earthquake in Morocco and flooding in Libya has shown up the state of the two nations

Not one but two disasters have struck in recent days – the earthquake in Morocco and devastating flooding in Libya.

At least 2,900 people are known to have died in the 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck in Morocco’s High Atlas mountains a week ago, and the authorities say the death toll will rise.

Three days later, on 11 September, intense flooding in Libya led to the collapse of two dams that unleashed a torrent of mud and water into Derna, destroying large parts of the eastern city.

On Friday morning, the Libyan Red Crescent said the number of people who had died in the city had risen to 11,000 and was expected to rise further as rescue teams arrived and helped to retrieve more bodies from the mud. Officials said 30,000 people were missing.

The full scale of the disaster may be far greater, as few international aid agencies or news reporters have been able to reach the flood-hit area. This area is controlled not by the government in Tripoli but by a rival warlord.

Morocco and Libya may be geographically relatively close to each other – just a 2,000km hop across Algeria – but they could not be two more different countries. This has had a huge impact on their ability to respond to the disasters. » | Rupert Neate and Peter Beaumont | Friday, September 15, 2023

Libya Flooding: Most Deaths Could Have Been Avoided, Says UN - BBC News

Sep 14, 2023 | Most of the thousands of deaths in the Libya floods could have been avoided, the UN's World Meteorological Organization has said.

The UN's meteorological branch has criticised the warning systems that were in place in Libya. "If they would have been a normally operating meteorological service, they could have issued warnings," World Meteorological Organization (WMO) secretary-general Petteri Taalas said.

After two dams failed, whole neighbourhoods were swept away in the torrents.

Libya Flooding: Fears of Up To 20,000 Dead - BBC News

Sep 14, 2023 | The mayor of the eastern Libya port city of Derna estimates between 18,000 and 20,000 people have died in the catastrophic flooding.

Abdulmenam Al-Ghaithi told al-Arabiya TV his estimate was based on the number of districts completely destroyed when two burst dams.

More than 5,000 people are known to have died, and at least 10,000 are missing.

Streets were swept away in the torrents and bodies are being recovered from the sea.

The Unimaginable Has Happened in Libya

OPINION : GUEST ESSAY

A man surveys the damage in Derna, Libya, on Sept. 12.Credit...Esam Omran Al-Fetori/Reuters
THE NEW YORK TIMES: This week, the worst storm in recent memory pounded the Green Mountains in eastern Libya with rain, pushing two poorly maintained, half-century-old dams to their limit. Just before 3 a.m. on Sept. 11, the first dam collapsed. An enormous wall of water surged into a riverbed that bisects the coastal city of Derna. It stalled briefly at the second dam eight miles downstream and then scooped that and everything else up in its path, tossing the debris into the sea. By dawn, a third of the city was gone, leaving thousands missing. The number of dead may reach as high as 10,000, Libyan aid coordinators say.

Many people in Libya are calling what happened a tsunami, not a flood, to attempt to capture the physics and power of the devastation. Derna’s nearly 100,000 residents, now stranded, urgently need shelter, food, water and medical care. They need temporary bridges to replace those that were washed out and engineers to rebuild all the roads and fix parts of the city’s operational but battered port. They need cellphone service to reach family members and friends and body bags for the corpses being pulled out of the sea. Thousands are homeless, and officials fear other dams in the area may also burst. » | Ethan Chorin, Dr. Chorin is the author of “Benghazi! A New History of the Fiasco That Pushed America and Its World to the Brink.” | Wednesday, September 13, 2023

Catastrophic Floods Devastate Libya

Thousands of people have been killed after heavy rains flooded parts of the country’s northeast, a disaster exacerbated by the collapse of two dams in the coastal city of Derna.

Libyan Flood Survivor Recounts Horror After Dams Burst: “We walked out barefoot and saw our friends and neighbors dying,” said a woman from the hard-hit city of Derna. More than 5,000 are reported dead and 10,000 more are believed to be missing. »

Related article here.

‘Sea Is Constantly Dumping Bodies’: Fears Libya Flood Death Toll May Hit 20,000

THE GUARDIAN: Full scale of devastation in north African nation still not clear as aid agencies struggle to reach cut-off areas

International aid is slowly starting to reach the devastated port city of Derna as questions are raised over how as many as 20,000 people may have perished when Storm Daniel hit the northern coast of Libya on Saturday night.

Ten thousand people had been declared missing by official aid agencies such as the Libyan Red Crescent, but the new, ominous higher estimate of 20,000 deaths came from the director of al-Bayda medical centre, Abdul Rahim Maziq.

Corpses still litter the street, and drinkable water is in short supply. Whole families have been wiped out by the storm and with the remoteness of some villages and the rudimentary nature of municipal government, it will take time for the death toll to be confirmed. (With video) » Patrick Wintour, Diplomatic editor | Wednesday, September 13, 2023

Rotes Kreuz rechnet mit 10.000 Vermissten in Libyen

Überschwemmung in Libyen
ZEIT ONLINE: Nach Überschwemmungen in Libyen schätzen das Rote Kreuz und der Rote Halbmond die Zahl der vermissten Menschen auf etwa 10.000. Zudem könnte es tausende Todesopfer geben.

Nach dem verheerenden Unwetter im Osten Libyens werden nach Angaben des Internationalen Komitees vom Roten Kreuz und Roten Halbmond noch etwa 10.000 Menschen vermisst. Es könnte tausende Todesopfer geben, sagte Organisationsvertreter Tamer Ramadan in einer Videokonferenz. "Wir bestätigen anhand unserer unabhängigen Informationen, dass die Zahl der vermissten Personen bei etwa 10.000 liegt." » | Quelle: ZEIT ONLINE, AP, dpa, Reuters, voi | Dienstag, 12. September 2023

Libya: 10,000 missing after unprecedented floods, says Red Cross: Neighbourhoods washed away in port city of Derna, where two dams burst »