Representatives of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi’s legal and media team said that forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar prevented the burial of Saif in Sirte, imposing conditions that barred expressions of mourning, banned displays of his photos or slogans, and limited mourning to three days — terms described as harsh and unacceptable.
In response to these restrictions on February 5th, Gaddafi’s family opted to bury him in Bani Walid, a city historically loyal to his father’s regime, where Saif will be interred alongside his brother Khamis, killed in the 2011 revolution.
Separately, Libya’s Government of National Unity’s Minister of Local Government instructed officials in Bani Walid to facilitate the logistical and administrative arrangements for the burial in accordance with laws and humanitarian considerations.
