Libya: Niger border can't be closed

NIAMEY, Niger, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- Closing the border with Niger to keep Moammar Gadhafi and his supporters from fleeing is physically impossible, Niger's foreign minister said Wednesday.

"It is too big, and we have very, very small means for that," Mohamed Bazoum told the BBC.

The National Transitional Council now governing Libya sent a delegation to Niger to discuss joint efforts to keep Gadhafi and members of his family out of Niger and to keep loyalists from establishing a base, Fathi Baja, the NTC's political affairs chief said.

Officials in Niger confirmed Wednesday a second convoy of Gadhafi loyalists had crossed the border and was headed to the capital, Niamey. The convoy was said to be carrying dozens of heavily armed Gadhafi loyalists as well as cash and gold, the BBC reported Wednesday.

Niger officials said Gadhafi is not believed to be traveling with the convoy although they confirmed his former security chief is in the country.

The United States has called on Niger to arrest senior pro-Gadhafi figures, the New York Times reported.

"We have strongly urged the Nigeran officials to detain those members of the regime who may be subject to prosecution," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.

Nuland said they have also been asked to confiscate any weapons that are found and impound state property of the government of Libya, such as money and jewels.

The whereabouts of Gadhafi remain undetermined.

A senior rebel commander told the BBC Gadhafi is still in Libya but is heading away from areas where there is fighting.

Anis Sharif, a spokesman for Tripoli's new military council, said Gadhafi is currently trapped in an area surrounded by rebels, The Guardian reported.

"He can't get out," Sharif said.