Libya has dropped arrest warrants and travel bans slapped by the toppled regime of Muammar Gaddafi against the slain dictator’s opponents, an interior ministry spokesman said yesterday.

“All arrest warrants and travel bans issued by the former regime against Gaddafi’s opponents have been lifted,” Mejdi al-Orfi said.

Interior Minister Ashour Shwayel took the decision in response to difficulties encountered by ex-regime opponents when traveling abroad on official missions, he said.

A large numbers of former dissidents hold senior positions within the new government and national assembly, which was elected in July, less than a year after a Nato-backed revolt ousted Gaddafi.

Many of them have faced problems when travelling to other countries, particularly those that had security agreements with the former regime.

Meanwhile two Libyans were killed yesterday when fighting erupted between rival tribes in the southern oasis of Sabha, a local official said.

“Two people were killed in clashes today,” said Ayub al-Zarroug, president of the local council of Sabha, 750 kilometres south of Tripoli.

“A personal problem escalated into fighting between the Gaddadfa and Awlad Suleiman tribesmen. The army is now in control of the situation,” he added.

Toppled dictator Muammar Gaddafi hailed from the Gaddadfa tribe.

Tribal clashes last year claimed hundreds of lives in southern Libya, and the government is trying to provide better security for the country’s sparsely populated but oil-and gas-rich desert region.

In December, the authorities slapped martial law on the south and ordered the closure of land borders with Chad, Niger, Sudan and Algeria.