Mansour Dhao, the chief of Muammar Gaddafi's security brigades, has entered Libya's neighboring country of Niger, media reports said on Monday.

The reports, citing Nigerien officials, said the senior security official and several others had crossed into Niger on Sunday.

Libyan rebels had on Saturday urged Gaddafi loyalists to surrender within a week.

National Transitional Council (NTC) chief Mustafa Abdel Jalil at a press conference held in Benghazi said the rebels would give one week to pro-Gaddafi forces in Sirte, Bani Walid and other cities to lay down their arms. He said the NTC forces are capable of deploying troops in any city or town and they would use military means after "the end of this extension."

Meanwhile, the embattled Libyan leader Gaddafi on Thursday vowed in a TV audio message not to surrender and urged his loyalists to continue resistance to the rebellion.