Thousands of people took part in the funeral procession of Saif al-Islam, son of the late dictator Muammar Gaddafi, in the Libyan town of Bani Walid today, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
Although the Gaddafi family is originally from Sirte and previously lived in Tripoli, they chose the cemetery in Bani Walid, where another son of the dictator is buried.
Mourners arrived from several cities and gathered at the airport in Bani Walid to perform funeral prayers, which were held under tight security measures imposed by the interior ministry, which is linked to the government of Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeiba.
During the funeral, some mourners raised slogans and flags associated with the former Gaddafi regime in Libya and demanded that the coffin be opened to inspect the body, citing the lack of publicly released photographs. Security forces denied the request.
Saif al-Islam was killed on Tuesday afternoon under unclear circumstances when four unknown gunmen stormed his residence on the outskirts of Zintan.
Libyan prosecutors, who opened an investigation on Wednesday, have yet to announce any developments in the case.
The International Criminal Court has been seeking Saif al-Islam's extradition since 2014 to stand trial for alleged crimes against humanity during the Libyan uprising.
A court in Tripoli sentenced him to death in absentia in 2015. The Zintan authorities neither transferred Saif al-Islam to Tripoli nor extradited him.
Gaddafi's son resurfaced in public in 2021 after a long absence and registered as a candidate in Libya's planned presidential election. The vote never took place due to disputes over the constitutional framework and the eligibility of candidates for office.