Islamist guerrillas are turning the vast Sahara into a new theatre of war against the West, writes Alex Diaz

More than 15,000 people including Malian military personnel have fled into neighbouring countries since members of the nomadic Tuareg ethnic group launched a new rebellion against the Malian government last month, aid officials say.

A son of Muammar Gaddafi and three of his generals were trying to gain political asylum today in the poor, landlocked nation of Niger, after a 1,000 mile-plus drive across the vast desert that separates the two countries.

A senior member of Muammar Gaddafi’s inner circle slipped into Niger along with three carloads of collaborators, an official said, but the toppled Libyan leader was not among them nor were any members of his immediate family.

Troops loyal to Muammar Gaddafi, including his security chief, have fled into neighbouring Niger in multiple convoys but the dictator’s location is still unknown.

Voting has begun in presidential and parliamentary elections in Niger meant to return the country to a civilian government after a military coup last February.

Two French hostages captured in Niger were killed during a rescue attempt involving French forces, the country’s defence minister said tonight.

Niger's political opposition urged the West African country's new military junta today to hold elections as soon as possible and restore civilian rule after a coup ousted its dictatorial president.

Renegade soldiers in armoured vehicles stormed Niger’s presidential palace with a hail of gunfire in broad daylight, kidnapping the country’s strongman president then appearing on state television to declare a successful coup.

Security forces in Niger arrested the country's main Opposition leader hours after he called for a general strike and accused the president of carrying out the equivalent of a coup by unilaterally dissolving the nation's top court.

Dozens of landmines accidentally exploded in Niger during a ceremony in which a group of former rebels were handing over arms, killing one person and wounding about 40, including the regional governor.

Dalatou Mamane, Zinder

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan is today expected in Niger to focus international attention on a one of the worst food crises' in many years.

Niger’s president played down the food crisis ravaging his desert nation, saying that people in the impoverished West African country “look well-fed”.

We cannot afford to wait for an onslaught of harrowing images of dying people to realise a humanitarian crisis is looming in Niger. Liam Horan reports from Niger.

THE frail baby boy she cradles has arms no thicker than her finger. His belly has hollowed and his skin has sagged as his weight has dropped.

MAURITANIAN army officers overthrew the US-allied president yesterday, saying a military junta would temporarily rule the Islamic nation that has increasingly looked to the West as the government raised fears of a growing threat from al-Qaida linked militants.

IN Niger most of the 11 million people live on a dollar a day. Some 40% of children are underfed, and one out of four dies before turning five.