In an audio message broadcast today on loyalist Al-Rai TV, a voice purportedly of Muammar Gadaffi has denounced reports that he had fled to neighbouring Niger and claims he is still in Libya.

In a fiery broadcast from hiding, Muammar Gaddafi has warned that loyalist tribes in his main strongholds were armed and preparing for battle, a show of defiance hours after rebels extended a deadline for the surrender of the fugitive leader’s home town.

Muammar Gaddafi was quoted today as warning that tribes loyal to him in key strongholds are armed and won’t surrender to Libyan rebels, a blow to opposition hopes of a peaceful surrender of the ousted leader’s hometown of Sirte.

Rebels hunting the top officials in Muammar’s Gaddafi’s ousted regime have captured his foreign minister and are closing in on Gaddafi himself, rebel officials said today.

Two men claiming to be Muammar Gaddafi’s sons have made conflicting appeals from hiding, one of them calling for talks with rebel leaders and the other urging the regime’s loyalists to fight to the death.