Algeria rejects Gaddafi regime officials' plea for entry
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Xinhua, September 5, 2011
A number of military and intelligence officers of Muammar Gaddafi's regime fled to the border with Algeria last week, but their request for entry was turned down by Algerian authorities, local media reported Sunday.
Twelve vehicles carrying about 30 former Libyan officers and four other vehicles carrying armed men stopped some 200 km south of Algeria's southeastern Debdeb frontier port Wednesday and Thursday, the local Arabic-language daily El Khabar reported, quoting a well-informed source.
Three vehicles came forth to the borderline and gave the local authorities a list of names of military officers and civilians, seeking to get shelter in Algeria.
Algerian civilian and military authorities rejected their request, given that the majority of the passengers were former officers in the Libyan army and intelligence services, and employees in the Gaddafi government, the source said.
The source said receiving those military officers would mean that Algeria was supporting one disputing party in Libya's domestic conflict.
The convoy then headed to the south of Libya, near border with Niger, the source added.
Algeria closed its southern border with Libya after some Gaddafi family members crossed the border into Algeria early last week.
