Ethiopian PM Sends Pacifist Tone on the Border Incident as Sudan Mobilizes

Sudanese government seems to have treated the latest border incident as an act of aggression by the Ethiopian Defense Force while it was the militia force that was involved in the skirmish with Sudanese forces  

Borkena

December 4, 2020 

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said that his government is following up the development along the Ethio-Sudan border incident. 

“The gov’t is closely following the incident with local militia on the Ethio-Sudan border. Such incidents will not break the bond b/n our two countries as we always use dialogue to resolve issues. Those fanning discord clearly do not understand the strength of our historical ties,” he tweeted on Thursday. 

Citizen reports with links on the ground along Ethio-Sudan border where there was a clash between Ethiopian militia forces in the region and Sudanese army advanced about 40 kilometers deep in to the Ethiopian territory following withdrawal of Ethiopian army from the border area to respond to TPLF attack on the northern command of the Ethiopian Defense Force. Aljazeera reported last month that Sudanese forces took control of Ethiopian territories. 

Properties belonging to Ethiopians with mechanized farming practice in the region were reportedly destroyed and several farmers were detained too. The militia attack on Sudanese forces is said to be a response to that. 

The latest string of clashes between Ethiopian militia and Sudanese soldiers happened in Abderrafi town which is well within the Ethiopian border. Members of Sudanese army were killed during the incident. 

A report by Sudan Tribune on Friday said that four Sudanese soldiers were killed and twelve others wounded  when the Ethiopian Military ambushed the army “inside the Sudanese territory.” Apparently, what it called “Inside the Sudanese territory,” is land that  Sudanese army took control after the Ethiopian army withdrew from the area in the aftermath of the TPLF attack on the northern command of the Ethiopian Defense Force. 

Based on information from the Ethiopian government, Ethiopian Defense Force was not involved in the clash which happened on Tuesday in the evening. The Sudan Tribune report on Friday, however, indicated that Sudan already deployed forces to the region. 

TPLF forces who are said to have committed the Maikadra massacre last month and a considerable number of other TPLF forces who lost the war against the Ethiopian Defense Force, Amhara and Afar special forces have reportedly crossed the Sudanese border as refugees.  

On Sunday last week, Sudanese Prime Minister Abdella Hamdok was in Ethiopia in what was initially announced to be for two days of working visit, but he cut his trip short as he returned to Khartoum after only two hours of stay in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. However, he told reporters in his country that his trip to Ethiopia was a success that addressed three issues including the border issues between the two countries. 

Pending approval from other IGAD member states, Ethiopia has accepted Sudanese proposal for a leaders summit in Djibouti. 

Mr. Hamdok seems to have changed tones after the reported attack. “The Council of Ministers affirms its support and stand with the armed forces,” Hamdok said the government “affirms its confidence in the ability of our armed forces to protect the country’s borders and repel any aggression,” he said, as reported by the Sudan Tribune.