UNHCR saddened by French aid worker's death in eastern Chad

Briefing notes

UNHCR saddened by French aid worker's death in eastern Chad

This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today's press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

2 May 2008 Also available in:

We are very saddened by the tragic killing of a French aid worker for Save the Children, Pascal Marlinge, in eastern Chad near the border with Sudan yesterday. Mr Marlinge was apparently shot by bandits while travelling in a three-vehicle convoy.

This shocking incident underscores the highly insecure environment that humanitarians workers face in delivering protection and assistance to more than 240,000 refugees from Sudan's Darfur region in 12 UNHCR-run camps eastern Chad and 180,000 Chadians, displaced in their own country by inter-ethnic violence.