CHAD

 
The Red Cross reports that at least 160 civilians were killed, 1000 wounded in fighting between rebels and government forces in N'Djamena, the capital of Chad.

The Crays, Kims, Venbergs, and Ann Fursdon made it safely to Koutou yesterday.  They planned to drive about 5 hours into Cameroon but haven't yet found a place to stay. Though Koutou is currently safe, pray that arrangements for a place to stay in Cameroon can soon be made. A reliable way to transfer funds to our members in Cameroon also needs to be established.

Peter Maclure remains at the French base in Ndjamena. He intends to stay until the TIMO team is safely out of Dourbali where there has recently been a lot of fighting.

"Continue to pray for an opportunity to clear the TIMO team out of Dourbali," writes AIM's Central Director Steve Wolcott.

And continue to pray for the suffering people of Chad.
 

KENYA

"We experienced another relatively calm day in Kenya," said AIM spokesperson Brian Arensen in Kenya.  The BBC reports, however, that mediation talks between President Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga "are on the brink of collapse."

There is continued ethnic tension in many parts of the country as people are being threatened or forced to leave their homes and businesses if they are from the wrong tribe.  The government has promised to transport many of the displaced people back to "ancestral homes" starting today.

"This will ease the burden and tension in the camps, but also indicates that life as we knew it will not return to its previous state any time soon," says Arensen.