TRIPOLI, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Libya's civil affairs department on Friday denied reports about refusing to grant late leader Muammar Gaddafi's family members national numbers, an electronic identification number for citizens.

"The department denies some media allegations about refusing to grant family members of Muammar Gaddafi national numbers," Mohammed Baltamer, head of the department, said in a statement.

Baltamer said the department had received a letter from the attorney-general, instructing to issue national numbers to Gaddafi's family members, and it was going through the procedures.

He attributed the delay to shortcomings in the procedures.

A national number is a unique reference number issued by the Libyan authorities for citizens to use to complete civil procedures, such as applying for passports, drivers' licenses and national identification documents.

Media reports said the lawyer of the Gaddafi family, Khalid al-Zaidi, had said that the civil affairs department did not issue national numbers to them.

After the fall of the Gaddafi government in 2011, some of his family members fled to nearby countries and now face difficulties getting official national documents as many of them are wanted by the Libyan authorities.