Niger 'must reject Libyan chiefs'

Libya's rebel administration wants Niger to stop providing refuge to senior figures of Muammar Gaddafi's regime, according to the country's ambassador.

Souleymane Ahmed Mohamed Moussa told reporters that Libya's National Transitional Council is sending a delegation next week to ask Niger not to give the officials "political asylum".

Mr Moussa said some armed Gaddafi loyalists have escaped to Niger along the desert border the countries share.

Niger officials have said Gaddafi's security chief, Mansour Dao, arrived there this week along with 12 other Libyans.

Unconfirmed reports have claimed Gaddafi's army commander for southern Libya, General Ali Kana, also escaped to Niger with an unknown number of troops.