Saadi Gaddafi flees to Niger
- 13 years ago
Agadez, a scenic desert town 1,000 km from Niger's capital.
It's here where Gaddafi's loyalists are fleeing as NATO and Libya's interim ruling council continue to scour the countryside for ousted leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Niger officials said one of the fugitive former leader's sons, Saadi Gaddafi, had turned up here after crossing the remote Sahara desert frontier.
Niger has said that if Gaddafi or his sons showed up, it would respect its commitments to the International Criminal Court, which wants Gaddafi and some members of his inner circle to face trial for alleged crimes against humanity.
But some here support the idea of helping their "Muslim brothers."
(SOUNDBITE)(Haussa) ELHADJI OUSMANE, AGADEZ RESIDENT
"As far as I'm concerned, if a Muslim brother is in danger and he looks for safety near you, you shouldn't hesitate to help him. So we implore God to help them."
Others are worried about the large number of Gaddafi forces, originally from Niger, returning.
They have been branded as mercenaries and could be subject to violent reprisals.
Jessica Gray, Reuters
It's here where Gaddafi's loyalists are fleeing as NATO and Libya's interim ruling council continue to scour the countryside for ousted leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Niger officials said one of the fugitive former leader's sons, Saadi Gaddafi, had turned up here after crossing the remote Sahara desert frontier.
Niger has said that if Gaddafi or his sons showed up, it would respect its commitments to the International Criminal Court, which wants Gaddafi and some members of his inner circle to face trial for alleged crimes against humanity.
But some here support the idea of helping their "Muslim brothers."
(SOUNDBITE)(Haussa) ELHADJI OUSMANE, AGADEZ RESIDENT
"As far as I'm concerned, if a Muslim brother is in danger and he looks for safety near you, you shouldn't hesitate to help him. So we implore God to help them."
Others are worried about the large number of Gaddafi forces, originally from Niger, returning.
They have been branded as mercenaries and could be subject to violent reprisals.
Jessica Gray, Reuters