Sudan Shelled Ethiopian Territories, TPLF Collaborating

June 29, 2022

It came after claims of execution of captured Sudanese soldiers by Ethiopian forces. Four of the victims from the incident along the Ethio- Sudan area are said to be Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) fighters 

Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (left) and Al Burhan (right). (Photo by – / AFP / file)

Borkena 

Sudan shelled areas along the Ethiopian border where there was an incident involving its defence force and local Ethiopian militia.

The BBC Amharic service, on Wednesday, cited Desalegne Ayana, who is head of the West Armachiho district administration, to report that Sudan has been shelling the area with artillery, mortar and other heavy weaponry. 

Residents in the area said the shelling was strong on Monday, and it continued to Tuesday in the afternoon. 

No casualty is reported in connection with the heavy weaponry attack from Sudan. 

Sudan started the military move this week on alleged grounds that seven of its soldiers who were captured by the Ethiopian Defence Force were executed. It further claimed that the execution happened within the “Sudanese border.” 

Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, on Tuesday, expressed condolences to Al Burhan, Sudanese military leader and president of the country, over the loss of the death of the Sudanese soldiers. 

The Ethiopian government on Tuesday said no Ethiopian army was deployed to the area where the incident occurred.  According to the Ethiopian Defence Force, the fighting was between the local militia in Armachiho and the Sudanese forces.  

Desalegne Ayana said Sudanese forces made advances from the Ethiopian territories they forcefully occupied, and they met resistance from the local militia. 

In the exchange of fire seven were killed on the side of Sudan. One militia was killed from the Ethiopian side. 

Although not confirmed by Desalegne Ayana, other local reports say that four of the victims on the side of Sudan were TPLF fighters. 

Sudanese Forces invaded Ethiopia territories in November 2020 when the Ethiopian Defence Force deployed in the area was removed in connection with what the Ethiopian government called a law enforcement operation against the TPLF following the attack on the northern command of the Ethiopian Defence Force. 

The African Union on Wednesday expressed concern over the escalation of a border dispute between Ethiopia and Sudan.  The Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, called for a “complete refrain from any military action whatever it’s origin and calls for dialogue between the two brotherly countries to solve any dispute.” 

Ethiopia, through the public relations director of the Ethiopian Defence Force, Colonel Getnet Adane, on Tuesday expressed readiness to cooperate with the investigation of the incident. 

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is advancing a pacifist position in the recent development, and he tends to think that both countries will not benefit from conflict. 

There is an understanding on the part of Ethiopia that the incident was manufactured and that there are other forces behind it. 

In a message, written in Arabic,  Abiy Ahmed said Ethiopia and Sudan are capable of resolving the problems they are facing in a spirit of “brotherhood and good neighbourhood.”