With new Libyan flags in the background, Libyan minister of oil and finance, Ali al-Tarhouni, center talks to supporters after his arrival in the desert city of Sabha, Libya Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2011. Libya's transitional government has delivered 20 million dinars ($16 million) to this remote southern city beset by fighters loyal to Moammar Gadhafi, hoping to bolster support for revolutionary forces. The 20 boxes of 20-dinar notes, each weighing 116 pounds (78 kilograms), were delivered to the Sabha central bank. (AP Photo/Rami Raki)
With new Libyan flags in the background, Libyan minister of oil and finance, Ali al-Tarhouni, center talks to supporters after his arrival in the desert city of Sabha, Libya Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2011. Libya's transitional government has delivered 20 million dinars ($16 million) to this remote southern city beset by fighters loyal to Moammar Gadhafi, hoping to bolster support for revolutionary forces. The 20 boxes of 20-dinar notes, each weighing 116 pounds (78 kilograms), were delivered to the Sabha central bank. (AP Photo/Rami Raki)
A Libyan traffic policeman smiles in the Misrata commercial area, in Misrata, Libya, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2011. Libyan revolutionary forces battled their way into the eastern outskirts of Moammar Gadhafi's hometown of Sirte on Tuesday, trying to link up with anti-Gadhafi fighters besieging the city from the west, commanders said. (AP Photo/Manu Brabo)
Revolutionary fighter Ahmed Mohamed Tartan, 27, who was wounded in Sirte, Libya during the last assault toward the loyalist stronghold, is helped by a medic at a hospital in Misrata, Monday, Sept. 26, 2011. Anti-Gadhafi fighters launched their offensive against Sirte nearly two weeks ago, but have faced fierce resistance from loyalists holed up inside the city. After a bloody push into Sirte again over the weekend, revolutionary fighters say they have pulled back to plan their assault and allow civilians more time to flee. (AP Photo/Manu Brabo)
Revolutionary fighters fire from tanks towards Gadhafi troop positions in Sirte, Libya, Monday, Sep. 26, 2011. After NATO's heavy bombing on Sunday, hundreds of families are leaving the city. Some remain stranded on the outskirts due to lack of transportation or fuel. (AP Photo/Gaia Anderson)
Revolutionary fighters fire a tank towards a Gadhafi loyalist sniper position in Sirte, Libya, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2011. After Saturday's fighting, revolutionary fighters continue to hold the western road entering Sirte, as NATO bombing activity took place during the day. The whereabouts of the fugitive leader remains unknown and he continues to try to rally supporters. (AP Photo/Gaia Anderson)
TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) ? Libya's new rulers believe Moammar Gadhafi may be hiding in the southern desert, possibly in a vast area near the Algerian border, under the protection of ethnic Tuareg fighters, an official said Wednesday.
Abdel-Rahman Busin, a military spokesman in Tripoli, also said revolutionary forces knew Gadhafi's son, Seif al-Islam, was in the regime stronghold of Bani Walid two weeks ago because they held negotiations about his possible surrender. But he said the talks had broken down and it was not known if he was still in the town.
Revolutionary forces gained control of Tripoli and much of the rest of the North African nation late last month, but the longtime leader fled and has been trying to rally supporters from hiding as fighting continues on three fronts. His sons also escaped and there have been several unconfirmed reports about their whereabouts.
Military officials fear Gadhafi may still be able to stoke violence from his hiding place.
Busin said the military has intelligence that Gadhafi is hiding in the vast southern desert with help from Tuareg fighters. Ethnic Tuaregs, whose nomadic community spans the desert border of Niger, Mali, Libya, Algeria and Chad, are among Gadhafi's strongest remaining supporters.
"We do believe that he is somewhere in that region and we do know that Tuaregs are supporting him, probably because he's paying them," Busin said.
He did not offer evidence and acknowledged the military cannot confirm anything.
"It's a very large bit of land to cover. We don't have the people to cover it all and he could move around quite freely," Busin told The Associated Press.
One report suggested Gadhafi was southwest of the desert town of Sabha, Busin said. He also said a recent attack on the border town of Ghadamis raised suspicion that the fugitive leader was hiding in the surrounding region, a vast area near the Algerian frontier. "Possibly they were just creating a diversion," he said.
Pro-Gadhafi gunmen crossed the border from Algeria to attack revolutionary forces in Ghadamis last week, killing at least nine people, local officials said.
Ali al-Mana, the Ghadamis representative on the National Transitional Council, said there was no confirmation that Gadhafi was in the city.
Many Libyans believe Ghadafi's son and other regime members are hiding in Bani Walid, 90 miles (140 kilometers) southeast of Tripoli, where revolutionary fighters have been stalemated with loyalist fighters for weeks.
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