MOSCOW

Russia condemns the killing of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the second son of the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, in Zintan, western Libya, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Wednesday.

In a statement on the ministry's website, Zakharova called for "a thorough and transparent investigation" to hold the perpetrators responsible.

"We condemn this crime in the strongest terms. It is imperative that a thorough and transparent investigation is conducted without delay, and that those responsible are held accountable," she said.

She also extended sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.

Libyan officials said that Saif al-Islam, 53, was killed in the western city of Zintan on Tuesday.

Libyan media reported that he was shot dead by four masked men, while CCTV cameras at his residence were disabled prior to the killing.

Moussa Ibrahim, a former spokesman of Gaddafi’s government, said Saif al-Islam was “killed treacherously,” adding he sought “a united, sovereign and safe Libya for all its people.”

Ibrahim said he had spoken with him two days earlier and that his only concern was Libya’s stability and the safety of its citizens.