Relatives of Libyan former strongman Muammar Qaddafi who took refuge in Algeria in August 2011 left the country a long time ago, the Algerian envoy to Libya said on Thursday.



“The family of Qaddafi left Algeria a long time ago and there is nobody [from the family] on Algerian soil,” Abdelhamid Bouzaher was quoted as saying by Libya’s official news agency LANA.



He did not offer any information on the current whereabouts of Qaddafi’s relatives, the agency said.



Contacted by AFP, Bouzaher refused to comment, as did the office of Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan.



Qaddafi’s wife Safia and two sons, Hannibal and Mohammed, along with daughter Aisha sought refuge in Algeria after the fall of Tripoli in August 2011 to rebels battling the now dead dictator’s loyalists.



Another son, Saadi, fled to Niger in September that year.



Three of Qaddafi’s sons, Mutassim, Seif al-Arab and Khamis, were killed during the conflict in separate incidents.



The dictator’s most prominent son Seif al-Islam, who was once touted as a potential successor, was arrested in November 2011 and is awaiting trial.



Qaddafi himself was killed in his hometown of Sirte in October 2011.

Last Update: Friday, 22 March 2013 KSA 00:56 - GMT 21:56