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Ex-Libya PM al-Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi 'jailed in Tunisia' | Ex-Libya PM al-Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi 'jailed in Tunisia' |
(40 minutes later) | |
Libya's former Prime Minister, al-Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi, has been arrested in Tunisia and sentenced to six months in prison, officials say. | Libya's former Prime Minister, al-Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi, has been arrested in Tunisia and sentenced to six months in prison, officials say. |
Mr Mahmoudi was arrested on Wednesday near the border with Algeria. He was jailed for entering Tunisia illegally. | Mr Mahmoudi was arrested on Wednesday near the border with Algeria. He was jailed for entering Tunisia illegally. |
He served as prime minister until Col Muammar Gaddafi was ousted last month. | He served as prime minister until Col Muammar Gaddafi was ousted last month. |
Col Gaddafi's whereabouts remain unknown as loyalists hold out in a few strongholds surrounded by troops loyal to the new interim leadership. | Col Gaddafi's whereabouts remain unknown as loyalists hold out in a few strongholds surrounded by troops loyal to the new interim leadership. |
Mr Mahmoudi was detained in Tamaghza, in southern Tunisia, close to the border with Algeria, Tunisian interior ministry officials said. | Mr Mahmoudi was detained in Tamaghza, in southern Tunisia, close to the border with Algeria, Tunisian interior ministry officials said. |
He had been trying to cross the border, but gave himself up without resistance, according to a report on a TV station run by Libya's National Transitional Council (TNC). | He had been trying to cross the border, but gave himself up without resistance, according to a report on a TV station run by Libya's National Transitional Council (TNC). |
It also claimed that he was carrying fake documents. | It also claimed that he was carrying fake documents. |
However, a report by AFP news agency quoted an unnamed Tunisian security official as saying that Mr Mahmoudi was entering Tunisia. | |
Algeria has had difficult relations with Libya's new rulers, and gave refuge to Col Gaddafi's wife and three of his children. | Algeria has had difficult relations with Libya's new rulers, and gave refuge to Col Gaddafi's wife and three of his children. |
But on Thursday Algeria's foreign ministry said it was prepared to work closely with the NTC, the official Algerian news agency reported. | But on Thursday Algeria's foreign ministry said it was prepared to work closely with the NTC, the official Algerian news agency reported. |
Al-Arabiya TV quoted the Algerian foreign minister as saying his country had joined other countries in officially recognising the NTC. | Al-Arabiya TV quoted the Algerian foreign minister as saying his country had joined other countries in officially recognising the NTC. |
'Localised action' | |
Meanwhile in Libya, NTC forces said they had captured all three main towns in the al-Jufra oasis in the south of the country - Hun, Waddan and Sokna. | |
And they also claimed to have taken control of Sabha, Libya's largest desert city. | |
"Sabha is totally free," Suleiman Khalifa, head of the Sabha local council was quoted as saying by AFP. "Eighteen [NTC] fighters were killed during the final operation." | |
NTC military spokesman Ahmed Bani said there were still pro-Gaddafi snipers operating in Sabha. | |
NTC fighters are continuing to face fierce resistance in two other Gaddafi strongholds, Bani Walid and Sirte. | |
Nato's operations commander Lt Gen Charles Bouchard said pro-Gaddafi forces were also clinging on to al-Fugaha in the Jufra region. | |
"The [Gaddafi] forces are no longer capable of coordinated action anywhere in the country," he said. "What we are now witnessing is tactical, very localised action." | |
In the capital Tripoli on Thursday, the US raised its flag over its embassy for the first time since the fall of Col Gaddafi. | |
It comes a day after US Ambassador Gene Cretz arrived back in the country. | It comes a day after US Ambassador Gene Cretz arrived back in the country. |
Libya's Interim Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril, who is at the UN General Assembly meeting in New York, has said he expects a new government to be announced within 10 days. | Libya's Interim Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril, who is at the UN General Assembly meeting in New York, has said he expects a new government to be announced within 10 days. |
The NTC, which has been trying to assert its authority in Tripoli after more than six months of fighting, told UK officials it had found about 28bn dinars ($23bn, £15bn) of funds unspent by Col Gaddafi in Libya's central bank. |