Gadhafi denies rumors he fled to Niger

BENGHAZI / TRIPOLI, Libya - From hiding, Muammar Gadhafi denied rumors he fled Libya, vowed never to leave the land of his ancestors and exhorted followers to keep fighting, according to an audio message broadcast on Thursday on a Syrian TV channel.

Gadhafi, who ruled Libya for nearly 42 years before opposition forces forced him to flee Tripoli late last month, hasn't been seen in public for months. A military official in Libya's new leadership had said a day earlier Gadhafi was cornered and would soon be captured or killed, but another senior defense official contended his whereabouts are unknown.

In Thursday's five-minute-long audio message, aired on Syrian-based Arrai TV which said they received a telephone call from Gadhafi early on Thursday morning, a man who sounded like Gadhafi denounced reports that he had fled to neighboring Niger and claimed he is still in Libya. He called those who ousted him "a bunch of mercenaries, thugs and traitors".