A Libyan delegation recently visited Beirut to resume discussions with Lebanese officials regarding the release of Hannibal Gaddafi, the son of late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. The talks also addressed the fate of Moussa Al-Sadr, a prominent Lebanese cleric, who went missing after visiting Libya in the 1970’s.
The discussions aimed to revive a 2014 agreement between Lebanon and Libya, focusing on the investigation into the 1978 disappearance of Al-Sadr. Al-Sadr’s family believes he might still be alive in a Libyan prison, although many presume he is dead.
Hannibal has been held in Lebanon since 2015, abducted from Syria by Lebanese militants seeking information about Al-Sadr’s fate. Despite being initially freed by Lebanese authorities, he was later detained on accusations of withholding information about the disappearance.
A legal official involved in the case mentioned that the Libyan delegation concluded their visit to Beirut, after positive talks with the Minister of Justice and the judge leading the committee investigating Al-Sadr’s disappearance.
However, details about the outcomes were not disclosed. The delegation is expected to return next week, with both Lebanese and Libyan authorities treating the Gaddafi and Al-Sadr cases separately.
The official emphasized that there is currently no agreement for Gaddafi’s release.
Al-Sadr founded the Amal group, and was a significant figure in Lebanon’s civil war. He remains a central figure in this long-standing mystery. Many of Al-Sadr’s followers believe he was killed by Gaddafi in a dispute over Libyan payments to Lebanese militias.
In August, Libya formally requested Hannibal Gaddafi’s release due to his deteriorating health, following a hunger strike in June, resulting in multiple hospitalizations.