Some good news for a change:

Six foreigners kidnapped in Somalia in November of last year have been released according to this AlertNet report. Four were aid workers with Action Contre La Faim (ACF) while the other two were the Kenyan pilots who had flown them in to Somalia.

Meanwhile MSF indicates that one of its staff members, missing since 4 August, returned safely last Friday. Unfortunately the international staff member is still being held by an unidentified armed group.

Tags: kidnapping, Somalia, Chad

Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) is reporting that two of its aid workers are missing after the robbery of one of its compounds in Chad. MSF Netherlands said it could not account for the whereabouts of one international and one local aid worker after the attack.

According to Reuters, “A local source in Chad said the attack on the compound took place in the town of Ade on Chad's eastern border with Sudan.”

Tags: Chad, Incident

CORD has a vacancy for a Logistics and Security Officer. Note that they advise that a ‘sense of humour’ is a must so easily frustrated types need not apply.

Tags: Jobs, Chad

Aid workers from the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have been temporarily pulled out of Chad after an unstated but specific security threat. IFRC staff have been supporting the Chadian Red Cross.

Red Cross aid workers leave Chad after threat

Tags: Chad, News, NGO Security

Looting has been widespread in the eastern Chadian town of Goz Beida after the town was attacked and seized by rebels over the weekend. Armed men looted several NGO compounds while other compounds were struck by small arms fire. It also appears that one NGO compound burned after fuel supplies caught fire.

EUFOR, deployed to protect Sudanese and Chadian refugees, has reported that it has been providing armed escorts for aid workers seeking shelter in the nearby EUFOR camp.

It is likely that the government will attempt to retake the town over the next couple of days. Any government counter attack will likely be accompanied by air strikes. NGOs should plan accordingly.

Some 300,000 Sudanese refugees who have fled the Darfur conflict live in camps in Eastern Chad. 187,000 Chadians displaced by fighting in Chad have also sought sanctuary in IDP camps in the area.

Rebels attack eastern Chadian town, aid worker says
Officials: Rebels attack in eastern Chad

Tags: Incident, Chad

Save the Children UK is looking for an experienced French speaking security manager for immediate deployement to Chad for an initial period of 3 months. If interested, please contact Nick Downie (N.Downie(at)savethechildren.org.uk / +44 77 68 92 66 86).

Tags: Jobs, Chad

Save the Children aid worker, Pascal Marlinge, was shot and killed by armed men in Chad on 1 May 2008. The link below has more detail from Save the Children.

Tags: Death of aid worker, Incident, NGO Security, Chad