Panafrican News Agency

Ethiopian Crisis: PM Abiy says gov't 'following' incident on border with Sudan

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed says his government is following a cross-border incident on the border with Sudan in which a number of Sudanese soldiers died.

The Sudanese Armed Forces said the cross-border attack by the Ethiopian military and militia happened on Tuesday night as the soldiers were returning from an operation in the al-Qadarif province along the Ethiopian border.

"The gov’t is closely following the incident with local militia on the Ethio-Sudan border," Abiy tweeted on Thursday. "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."

The Sudanese have not indicate the number of those killed and injured.

Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok held talks with the Ethiopian Prime Minister in Addis Ababa on relations only a few days before the incident.

The Ethiopian military launched an offensive against the Tigray regional administration on 4 November after forces under the command of the Tigray administration launched an offensive against Ethiopian National Defence Force (NDF).

The fighting has led to the displacement of some 50,000 Ethiopians who have fled to Sudan.

Media reports say Sudan deployed more than 6,000 troops to the border when the fighting started. The Ethiopian government has said it has defeated forces of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) whose activities triggered the fighting. However, the TPLF leadership disputes this.

The Ethiopian PM went to Mekelle, the regional capital of Tigray region, last Sunday his first visit since the fighting started.

-0- PANA MA 18Dec2020