An American humanitarian worker participating in an aid project was captured by Tubu rebels in Tibesti, northern Chad, rebels said on Thursday.
”The Movement for Democracy and Justice in Chad (MDJT) has detained an American aid worker … in the area controlled by the MDJT,” according to a statement obtained from a branch of the armed rebel group.
Cash Steve Goldbold was abducted on October 10 by Tubu rebels, MDJT leader Aboubakar Choua Dazi told Agence France-Presse (AFP) in a telephone interview.
Goldbold (48) is an evangelical Christian aid worker on mission for the Development Association of Tibesti, according to documents obtained by AFP.
The MDJT ”suspects this person is in the service of the regime in Ndjamena to create division in the centre of the movement”, said Dazi, assuring that their hostage ”is in good health and well-treated”.
Goldbold was captured in the Tibesti area, about 1 000km north of the capital, Ndjamena, he added.
”The local population tried to negotiate to free him,” a member of his group told AFP on the condition of anonymity, confirming the abduction.
The source said Goldberg, from Miami, Florida, had been in Chad since 1992.
Goldbold has lived in the area ”for the past five years, and he is not a foreigner” there, the source said, adding that he ”has a Tubu name, Wordougou Mollia”.
The MDJT said in the statement it was ”inclined to liberate this person” to send him back to ”his own country”, but warned the authorities ”of all attempts to take him by force”,
It ”called on all foreign aid workers to not venture into the areas controlled by the MDJT.” — Sapa-AFP