News from Chadian Border

Rueben Update:02/04/08 3:30pm CST
Just got off the phone with Rueben, he is in good health considering the circumstances. Taking refuge inside a church on the other side of the border he's witnessed that the main bridge/border crossing has been closed until tomorrow morning. Temporarily ceasing the flow of people into Cameroon, also halting civilians from making it safety.
According to witnesses, N'djamena has been descimated by fighting even as rebel fighters pulled out of the city. Reportedly, rebels were warning civilians to flee the city before they started another offensive. Witnesses on the ground also report any civilians caught in the crossfire have been seen as a threat to government troops. Reports have surfaced of government troops firing into civilian crowds. Many innocent individuals working in government offices have fled-fearing retrubution upon return, including those in our own family.
According to Rueben, armed rebels infilitrated from North supposedly armed by the Sudanese, responding government troops are moving up from the north cutting off available routes for fleeing civilians. N'djamena seems to be ground zero for the worst fighting the country has seen since the civil war in 1979, unfortunately today's situation is worsened by advances in weapons technology ie. helicopter gun ships etc.