AU to withdraw troops from Darfur? Gaddafi leaves hall before AU summit opens

Libyan leader, Col Gaddafi was absent from the hall at the opening session of AU summit, AngolaPress reported today:

Although the Libyan leader entered the hall before most of his counterparts, he left the premises just before the opening ceremony began, leaving the rest of the Libyan delegation there.

No official reason was given for the hurried departure, and neither the Gambians nor officials of the African Union Commission could offer an explanation.

However, some Libyan sources hinted that the Libyan leader's departure had been to protest a possible decision by African Union to withdraw its troops from Sudan next September.

SABC says earlier today, UN SG Annan met with Sudan's president, to discuss Darfur. Mr Annan and President Thabo Mbeki were supposed to meet earlier today but the meeting was postponed until later today.