Ahmad 
A new image of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi occupied many of his supporters during the past hours on social networking sites in Libya.
This photo brought Gaddafi’s son back to the forefront, especially in light of the growing calls for his inclusion in the ongoing political process in the country and not his exclusion.
Gaddafi Jr. appeared with the son of the commander of the “Abu Bakr al-Siddiq” battalion, Al-Ajmi Al-Atiri, who was charged with protecting him, standing and raising the victory sign in a mountainous area, which activists said was located in the city of Zintan.
He wore a shirt and a sports cap, and his usual beard appeared to be gray, along with his old glasses. The fingers of his right hand also appeared clearly amputated, and it seemed as if he had gained weight compared to his previous appearance.
Many Libyans reacted to this image. Some saw that Saif al-Islam could not offer anything to the country because he is still living in the past and refuses to develop himself, while others saw that the Libyans’ interest in any new appearance of Gaddafi’s son is an indication of the popularity he enjoys inside Libya, which qualifies him to win the elections.
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi has recently moved freely between areas that support his father’s regime and support his return to power, especially after military and security forces in the city of Zintan announced their subordination to him and their support for his candidacy in the upcoming presidential elections.
Gaddafi Jr. enjoys popular strength, especially among the tribes that support the return of the popular regime, and Saif al-Islam is considered a representative of the supporters of the former regime and one of the most divisive and controversial candidates in the presidential race, in light of the intense controversy over the conditions for running for elections.
Some are calling for his exclusion because he is wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of “committing war crimes” and because he was convicted in a final ruling, while others call for allowing him to run and leaving the freedom of choice to the Libyans.
The United Nations Security Council prepares to extend the mandate of Operation “Irini” off the coast of Libya