Uncanny: Watch Muammar Gaddafi lookalike cheer Libya crowds

A man impersonating long-time Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi down to his iconic robes appeared in a viral video over the weekend, bringing bemusement to his countrymen amid political turmoil ongoing since Gaddafi was deposed and killed in 2011. 

In the video, Khamis al-Nawal, who appears to regularly disguise himself as Gaddafi, exploiting their resemblance, is seen waving at confused crowds and later triggered a social media discussion in Libya.

Not much else is known about al-Nawal, although reports for years suggested Gaddafi had employed body doubles, so-called doppelgangers, to confuse would-be assassins. 

More than a decade after the death of 42-year-long ruler, Libya remains divided. Once easily categorized into pro-Gaddafi or pro-revolutionary groups in 2011, the battle lines have since blurred into eastern and western factions led by key figures like Khalifa Haftar and Fayez al-Sarraj, and further into tribal lines within these divisions.

Despite multiple attempts at unity, including a UN-backed government in 2016 and a unity government led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh in 2021, Libya continues to struggle with rival governments and militias, still searching for stable leadership.

The symbolic Gaddafi 'comeback' also brought back attention to his surviving family members, some of whom still hold their political ambitions. Three of Gaddafi's seven sons were killed in the 2011 uprising, while the rest found asylum including in Oman. Another is detained in Lebanon.

The most notable among them, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, once sentenced to death and wanted by the International Criminal Court, emerged from years of low profile to announce a presidential bid in 2021 but political deadlock has prevented these elections.

Libyan factions have agreed on a process to hold delayed elections, following involvement from the international community, but significant obstacles to establishing a democratic process still remain.