Rebel attacks on the capital city of Chad have forced international aid agency World Vision to close its office in N'Djamena and warn staff to remain in their homes until calm and safety can be assured.

World Vision's priority at this point is the safety of civilians and relief staff in the capital. Humanitarian access must be assured regardless of the outcome of the current conflict.

"World Vision is hoping for calm so that crucial relief and development work across the country can resume as soon as possible," says Levourne Passiri, World Vision's national director in Chad. Passiri is currently in N'Djamena and has been regularly updating the agency's regional relief teams on safety conditions in the capital.

The agency evacuated a Swiss TV crew to Cameroon yesterday. The journalists were filming World Vision programs in southern Chad when news of the rebel advance reached them.

World Vision has more than 200 staff in country; nearly all are citizens of Chad. The agency's two expatriate staff were not in Chad when the rebel offense began. The agency has made contingency plans to evacuate staff to Cameroon, but hopes this will not become necessary.

World Vision has worked in Chad since 1985 and currently serves some 400,000 people. Community development programs are located in central and southern Chad, and are currently stable and not affected. Programs focus on health and nutrition, education, HIV prevention, water and sanitation, microloans to poor entrepreneurs, and agricultural improvements to prevent frequent food shortages.

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.