Gaddafi Rumored in Niger

::jseblod::onislam_article::/jseblod::::onislamarticleaction::::/onislamarticleaction::::artpretitle:: ::/artpretitle::::artsubtitle:: ::/artsubtitle::::artseries:: ::/artseries::::artlead::As Libyan opposition fighters are preparing to enter one of Muammar Gaddafi's last bastions, rumors have spread that the fallen leader has fled to Niger::/artlead::::artepigraph:: ::/artepigraph::::artbody::TRIPOLI – As Libyan opposition fighters are preparing to enter one of Muammar Gaddafi's last bastions without fighting, rumors have spread that the fallen leader has fled to Niger."I saw an exceptionally large and rare convoy of several dozen vehicles enter Agadez from Arlit... and go towards Niamey" late Monday, a Niger military source told Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Tuesday, September 6, referring to the northern Niger city of Agadez. "There are persistent rumors that Gaddafi or one of his sons are travelling in the convoy," the source added. Witnesses and military officials also confirmed the entry of a Libyan convoy into Niger.A journalist from a private radio station in Agadez said that he saw "a convoy of several dozen vehicles crossing the city and heading towards Niamey", the Niger capital. Another Nigerien government source earlier said prominent regime officials had fled across the border on Sunday, including Gaddafi's internal security chief Mansour Daw. Reuters said the string of 200 to 250 vehicles could have been part of a dramatic secret attempt by Gaddafi to find refuge in a friendly African state, possibly Burkina Faso. Gaddafi has been on the run since the opposition forces took the Libyan capital Tripoli earlier last month. He has been officially offered asylum in tiny Burkina Faso two weeks ago. Other countries in Africa mooted as possible havens include Zimbabwe, South Africa and Eritrea. Denial However, Gaddafi's spokesman Moussa Ibrahim insisted the toppled leader is in top health and planning to defend his country.Gaddafi is "in excellent health and planning and organizing Libya's defense," Ibrahim told Syria's Arrai television channel on Monday."We are still powerful," he said, adding that the sons of the fugitive leader "had assumed their role in the defense of and sacrifice for" their country.Ibrahim pledged "a fight to the death or until victory.""We will fight and resist for Libya and for all Arabs,” he said."Libya will never fall and the worthy tribes are defending and will continue to defend each of the free town and recapture those that have been raped."The reports on Gaddafi's escape came as the the National Transitional Council managed to reach an agreement to enter Bani Walid, one of Gaddafi's bastions, peacefully.   "Preliminary agreement has been reached but we're still waiting to see if tribal leaders can convince the Gaddafi brigade to lay down their weapons," chief negotiator Abdallah Kanshil said, Reuters reported. Kanshil said he was still hoping for a peaceful surrender to avoid further bloodshed. "We have given them assurances that we will not take revenge,” he said. “We hope that they will now surrender peacefully.” Along with Gaddafi's home town of Sirte on the Mediterranean coast and Sabha deep in the Sahara desert, Bani Walid is one of the last remaining pockets of pro-Gaddafi resistance.   Nestled in rocky hills about 150 km (90 miles) south of Tripoli, Bani Walid is an ancestral home to the Warfalla, Libya's biggest and most important tribe.They number about a million out of the country's six million population.::/artbody::::artendnote:: ::/artendnote::::artfootnote:: ::/artfootnote::::artmainimage::oimedia/onislamen/images/mainimages/Bani Walid.jpg::/artmainimage::::artcaption::Opposition fighters set up a checkpoint on the road between Tarhuna and Bani Walid, one of Gaddafi’s last strongholds::/artcaption::::artalt::Libya, Niger, Gaddafi::/artalt::::artauthor:: ::/artauthor::::artboximage::::/artboximage::::artinterviewer:: ::/artinterviewer::::artcompiler:: ::/artcompiler::::artreviewer:: ::/artreviewer::::arttranslator:: ::/arttranslator::::artsource::OnIslam & News Agencies::/artsource::::artreference:: ::/artreference::::artlink1::Siege Tests Libya Tribal Divides ::/artlink1::::artlinkurl1::http://www.onislam.net/english/news/africa/453773-siege-tests-libya-tribal-divides.html::/artlinkurl1::::artlink2::Humanitarian Crisis Unfolds in Tripoli ::/artlink2::::artlinkurl2::http://www.onislam.net/english/news/africa/453687-tripoli-looming-humanitarian-crisis.html::/artlinkurl2::::artlink3::Did Gaddafi Flee to Algeria? ::/artlink3::::artlinkurl3::http://www.onislam.net/english/news/africa/453683-did-gaddafi-flee-to-algeria.html::/artlinkurl3::::artlink4::Libya Opposition Moves To Tripoli::/artlink4::::artlinkurl4::http://www.onislam.net/english/news/africa/453671-libya-opposition-moves-to-tripoli.html::/artlinkurl4::::artlink5::Who Will Rule Libya After Gaddafi's Fall?::/artlink5::::artlinkurl5::http://www.onislam.net/english/news/africa/453611-who-will-rule-libya-after-gaddafis-fall.html::/artlinkurl5::::button_submit::::/button_submit::::jseblodend::::/jseblodend::