The Gaddafis left Algeria, says ambassador

Algeria’s ambassador to Libya Abdelhamid Bouzaher Wednesday said the Gaddafis have left Algeria since a long but he did not give details about their whereabouts.

“Relations between Algeria and Libya are strong enough to not be affected by those events. Algeria is ready to contribute in the restructuration of the State and the boosting the Libyan economy,” the ambassador told Libya’s news agency.

Muammar Gaddafi’s wife, children and grandchildren have stayed in Algeria fr more than a year for humanitarian reasons.

Earlier, spokesman for the Libyan foreign ministry Saad Salmani denied allegations that the Gaddafis quitted Algeria, five months ago. His Algerian counterpart Amar Blani did not comment about the information which was reported on November 6^th on many news websites and agencies.

Earlier on March 3^rd, Algerian foreign minister Mourad Medelci told Echorouk there was no new information about the family while sources said they left Algeria before the visit of the Libyan government’s head Ali Zidane to the country in November.

According to the same sources, the departure was discussed in a meeting between Zidane, Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal and President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

Algeria refused repeated requests from the former Libyan Transitional Council to extradite the Gaddafis as it received them for “humanitarian reasons and they were not wanted by the International Court of Justice.

The family arrived to Algeria on August 29^th, 2011 and passed by the province of Illizi (south of Algeria). It included Gaddafi’s wife Safia and her children Aicha, Mohamed and Hannibal along with Gaddafi’s grandchildren and maids.