Six years after he was arrested and imprisoned by a militia group in the town of Zintan, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of the former Libyan President Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, promises to reestablish peace and stability in war-torn Libya.
Saif, who was released from prison in June, has vowed to lead a military onslaught against terror groups operating in the Libyan capital Tripoli and pundits say he stands a chance to win the presidential poll if it takes place next year as earlier suggested.
As the second son of the celebrated Libyan leader and the apparent heir of his father’s regime, Saif still enjoys a significant amount of support from Libyans, especially those who were loyal to his father.
Saif was arrested in 2011 during the infamous Arab Spring that brought an end to Muammar Gaddafi’s 42-year reign. He was accused of murdering protesters in Tripoli as his father tried desperately to cling to power.
What Chances Does He Have?
Saif now claims to have gathered enough fighters to help him recapture Tripoli as he recently did in the coastal town of Sabratha. In a statement issued by his spokesman, Saif said he is committed to defending the Libyan territory and even die for it as a martyr if he has to.
“The forces who fought in Sabratha against ISIS, the gangs of illegal immigrants and the oil-smuggling mafias were mainly members of the tribes who support Saif al-Islam, and those who were part of the former Libyan army, also loyal to Saif Gaddafi,” Saif’s spokesman was recently quoted by the Guardian.
