Tuesday, Aug 30, 2011
ALGIERS (AFP)--Moammar Gadhafi's daughter gave birth to a baby girl in Algeria Tuesday as Algiers said it decided to grant safe haven to the wife and three children of the ousted Libyan leader for "strictly humanitarian reasons."
"Aisha gave birth very early this morning. She had a little girl. Mother and daughter are doing fine," said a government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Earlier Tuesday, foreign ministry spokesman Amar Belani insisted that Aisha, her brothers Mohammed and Hannibal, as well as their mother Safiya, Gadhafi's second wife, were allowed into the country "for strictly humanitarian reasons."
Libya's ruling National Transitional Council criticized the announcement from Algeria, which hasn't recognized the NTC as Libya's new authority, amid speculation that Algiers backed Gadhafi through the months-long conflict and is troubled by his downfall.
The newborn girl was named Safiya, after their grandmother, according to the daily Ennahar, which said the family crossed via the Tinkarine border post in the far south and was flown 400 kilometers northwest to Djanet, where Aisha was admitted to hospital.
The family was placed under house arrest in the desert town, the newspaper said.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
30-08-11 1449GMT
