TRIPOLI -- Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, was killed in an armed attack in western Libya on Tuesday, according to a statement from his political team.

Abdullah Othman Abdurrahim, a member of the team, posted the announcement on Facebook, stating that four masked gunmen carried out a "treacherous operation" by storming Gaddafi's residence at noon in the city of Zintan. The attackers reportedly disabled surveillance cameras before a "direct armed confrontation" ensued, resulting in his death.

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The political team called on the Libyan judiciary and the international community to investigate the "crime" and identify the perpetrators and those who "masterminded" the attack. Authorities in Tripoli and Zintan have not yet confirmed the details of the incident.

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi has remained a significant and polarizing figure in Libya since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that ended his father's rule.