Saadi Qaddafi flees to Niger; Libyans prepare to form transitional government

One of deposed Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi’s sons, Saadi Qaddafi, arrived Sunday in Niger, a government spokesman said, as the National Transitional Council says a transition government will be formed within 10 days.

“Today, September 11, a patrol of the Nigerien armed forces intercepted a convoy in which was found one of Qaddafi’s sons,” Marou Amadou said.

It was Saadi Qaddafi, “the footballer,” said Amadou, who is also Niger’s justice minister.

“At this moment the convoy is en route to Agadez (northern Niger). The convoy could arrive in Niamey between now and tomorrow,” he added.

Saadi, 38, the third of Qaddafi’s seven sons, is known as a playboy who renounced a football career in 2004 to join the army, where he led an elite unit.

Niger vowed Friday to respect international commitments if wanted Libyans entered its territory, and confirmed that three Qaddafi-era generals, including his air force chief, al-Rifi Ali Al-Sharif, had arrived in Agadez.

Niamey has confirmed allowing in a dozen Qaddafi aides, including his internal security chief Mansour Daw, for “humanitarian reasons”.

They are being held under house arrest in Niamey, in a tightly guarded state-owned villa on the banks of the Niger river.

Sources said more Qaddafi loyalists in a dozen vehicles arrived in Agadez Friday, escorted by Nigerien troops.

Niamey has denied that Qaddafi himself was on its soil.

Saadi Qaddafi said on August 21 he was ready to give himself up “if my surrender stops the spilling of blood.”

Officials of Libya's new ruling council gave assurances at the time that his life would be safe if he gave himself up.

The whereabouts of Muammar Qaddafi and his pre-revolution heir apparent Seif al-Islam remain unknown since the fall of Tripoli last month.

The International Criminal Court has issued warrants for the two men and other Qaddafi loyalists for alleged crimes against humanity.

Meanwhile, the deputy chief of the National Transitional Council told reporters that a new transitional government will be formed in Libya within 10 days.

“A new government will be formed within one week to ten days,” said Mahmud Jibril, who serves as the “prime minister” of the NTC, the political wing of the rebellion that overthrew strongman Qaddafi.

“This new government will include representatives from different regions in Libya,” Jibril said.

Rebel forces are still “in the process of liberating Libya, and revolutionary combatant are still on the fronts,” Jibril added, referring in particular to Bani Walid and Sirte, where regime loyalists are still holding out.

He said that another government will be formed once “Libya is liberated.”

Jibril also hailed the “liberation of Tripoli without bloodshed” last month.

“We were expecting a bloodbath, but this was prevented by the maturity of the revolutionaries who were able to secure the capital,” he said.