Thousands Flee Renewed Clashes in Central African Republic 

GENEVA - The U.N. refugee agency reports renewed fighting between government forces and rebel groups in Central African Republic has sent more than 2,000 refugees fleeing for their lives to neighboring Chad this past week.   Newly arriving refugees have been telling aid workers in Chad of the mayhem engulfing their region.  The refugees, who come from CAR’s northern Kaga-Bandoro region describe shocking acts of violence, looting and extortion by rebel groups as government forces were closing in on them.   

As people were fleeing toward the Chadian border, U.N. refugee spokesman, Babar Balloch, says other people from towns they passed along the way joined them, fearing that they too would come under rebel attack.    “To reach Chad, people had to wade shoulder-deep through the Grande Sido river, with some carrying their few belongings on their heads," he said.  "The refugees are now settled in Gandaza village inside Chad on the other side of the border… although some are having to resort to crossing back into CAR to find food or salvage what little is left from their properties.”      Chad is hosting nearly 11,000 of the 117,000 Central African refugees who have fled violence sparked by CAR’s contested presidential and parliamentary elections in December.