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U.S Warns W/African Leaders over Gaddafi
- By Williams Ekanem
- Published September 12th, 2011
- Washington File
- Unrated
The United States has urged some West African Countries to respect the United Nations Security Council resolutions on securing their borders. The reminder is coming on the heels of reports that Libyan erstwhile strongman, Moammer Gaddafi may be seeking for refuge in West Africa.
According to Victoria Nuland, Spokesperson of the Department of State, “we’re calling on all of these countries to make every effort to control their borders, to detain any Qadhafi regime officials, to confiscate contraband, any illegal weapons, and disarm them, and also to confiscate any wealth that might properly belong to the Libyan people.”
She disclosed that, “ our U.S. Ambassador in Niger, Bisa Williams, did meet with the Nigerien president to discuss the movement of these Libyans.”
“ Our understanding is that the convoy included some military and senior officials under Qadhafi’s former regime. They are now being held in the capital, in government villas, and they are being monitored closely by Nigerien officials.
Niger is also in direct contact with members of the Libyan Transitional National Council to discuss the future of these folks and their property, she added. Said her, the United States, in addition to working closely with Niger, we’ve also been in contact with Mali, Mauritania, Chad, and Burkina Faso to emphasize the importance of respecting the UN Security Council resolutions and of securing their borders.
Gaddafi’s own location has been a mystery since Tripoli fell to his enemies on August 23 after a six-month civil war, although he insisted in a defiant message broadcast on Thursday that he was still in Libya to lead the fight against what he called the “rats” and “stray dogs” who had taken over the capital.
But four of his top officials, including his air force commander and a general in charge of his forces in the south, were among a new group of Libyans who were reported to have fled to neighboring Niger, officials in Niger said.
According to Victoria Nuland, Spokesperson of the Department of State, “we’re calling on all of these countries to make every effort to control their borders, to detain any Qadhafi regime officials, to confiscate contraband, any illegal weapons, and disarm them, and also to confiscate any wealth that might properly belong to the Libyan people.”
She disclosed that, “ our U.S. Ambassador in Niger, Bisa Williams, did meet with the Nigerien president to discuss the movement of these Libyans.”
“ Our understanding is that the convoy included some military and senior officials under Qadhafi’s former regime. They are now being held in the capital, in government villas, and they are being monitored closely by Nigerien officials.
Niger is also in direct contact with members of the Libyan Transitional National Council to discuss the future of these folks and their property, she added. Said her, the United States, in addition to working closely with Niger, we’ve also been in contact with Mali, Mauritania, Chad, and Burkina Faso to emphasize the importance of respecting the UN Security Council resolutions and of securing their borders.
Gaddafi’s own location has been a mystery since Tripoli fell to his enemies on August 23 after a six-month civil war, although he insisted in a defiant message broadcast on Thursday that he was still in Libya to lead the fight against what he called the “rats” and “stray dogs” who had taken over the capital.
But four of his top officials, including his air force commander and a general in charge of his forces in the south, were among a new group of Libyans who were reported to have fled to neighboring Niger, officials in Niger said.
