Gaddafi rumoured headed towards Southern Libya

Reuters reports that Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi has probably left the Libyan desert town of Bani Walid and is heading further south with the help of loyalist tribes towards Chad or Niger, according to a senior military official in Libya's new leadership.

Hisham Buhagiar, who is coordinating the National Transitional Council's efforts to find the former Libyan leader, said reports indicate that he may have been in the region of the southern village of Ghwat, some 950km south of Tripoli and 300km north of the border with Niger, three days ago.

"He's out of Bani Walid I think. The last tracks, he was in the Ghwat area. People saw the cars going in that direction.... We have it from many sources that he's trying to go further south, towards Chad or Niger," Buhagiar said in an interview late on Tuesday.

"It's the tent. We know that he doesn't want to stay in a house, so he stays in a tent. People say the cars came, and then they made a tent," he said, adding that his sources had not seen Gaddafi themselves.

Gaddafi, who was ousted from power in August after a February uprising against his rule spread to the capital Tripoli, is believed to be travelling in a convoy of some 10 cars and may be using a tent as shelter, Buhagiar said.

In the meantime, the BBC reports that Gaddafi’s security chief Mansour Daw is among several former Libyan officials who have arrived in the capital of Niger, Niamey.

The BBC reports that the man entered the country on Sunday and travelled via the desert city of Agadez.

Meanwhile, a convoy said to be carrying dozens of heavily armed Gaddafi loyalists as well as gold and cash, has also crossed the border.

Niger officials say Col Gaddafi is not believed to be travelling with it.