Public Management

Sudan calls on Ethiopia to withdraw its forces from the disputed Al-Fashaqa region

Sudan calls on Ethiopia to withdraw its forces from the disputed Al-Fashaqa region
Tuesday, 19 January 2021 20:08

Following an emergency meeting of its Security and Defense Council on Jan 17, Sudan called on the Ethiopian government to withdraw its forces from the Al-Fashaqa region, which the two countries have been disputing on for years.

“Despite the military mobilization and build-up carried out by Ethiopia in the areas facing our forces in Al-Fashaqa, we confirm that our forces will remain in their lands to preserve sovereignty stipulated in the charters and agreements that affirm Sudan’s entitlement,” Sudanese Defense Minister Lieutenant General Yassin Ibrahim Yassin said in a press release.

He called on Ethiopia to “withdraw its forces from the remaining positions it still occupies in Maraghad, Khor Hamar, and Ghatar (in the Al-Fashaqa region, ed) as soon as possible in compliance with international treaties and the sustainability of good-neighborly relations.”

The battle between the two countries over this region, inhabited by Ethiopian farmers (who operate land claimed by Sudan), has sharply increased in recent weeks. On Thursday, Sudanese authorities banned flights over the border area after declaring that an Ethiopian military plane had violated Sudanese airspace in a "dangerous and unjustified escalation." The allegations were denied on Friday by the Ethiopian army chief of staff, General Berhanu Gula.

Last week, Sudan claimed at least five people died in border attacks by Ethiopian government-backed militias and that it will use all "available means" to respond. Earlier in December, Sudan accused Ethiopian "forces and militias" of ambushing Sudanese troops along the border, killing four people and wounding more than 20. The incident resulted in a large number of Sudanese military backups being sent to the border with Ethiopia to "recover land usurped by Ethiopian militias.”

Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan (pictured, left), Chairman of the Sovereignty Council of Sudan, said on Saturday his country did not mean to start a war with Ethiopia and has no interest in doing so. Sudan just wants to protect its border rights.

In a press conference on Friday, the Ethiopian army chief of staff also said Addis Ababa has no interest in going to war with Sudan.  He added that if the Ethiopian army went to war, "we would not hide."

The commander of the Ethiopian army added that a small group within the Sudanese government is working for the benefit of a third party and is standing behind the incursions.

The Al-Fashaqa region borders the Tigray region of Ethiopia where the Ethiopian government has been waging a military campaign against the TPLF since November; a conflict that has led to the exodus of more than 45,000 Ethiopian refugees to Sudan, according to the United Nations.

Borgia Kobri

Additional Info

  • communiques: Non
  • couleur: N/A
On the same topic
Zambia's stock index gained 14.3% in August and 56% YTD, driven by strong copper prices. Copperbelt Energy has maintained a market capitalization of...
Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO) has injected N365.9 billion ($238.5 million) into its subsidiary, Guaranty Trust Bank Limited (GTBank), to...
IFC may grant up to $20 million to CBI Ghana for a low-carbon cement plant in Tema. The $66.7 million project includes global investors...
Banque Agricole du Sénégal is raising CFA80 billion ($142 million) through a securitized bond. The offer includes a 7-year tranche A at 8% and...
Most Read
01

It’s a common scene in any Lomé (Togo) market, but it’s telling. A customer hands a 10,000 CFA franc...

The Change Shortage: A Crisis Hidden by the CFA Franc’s Stability
02

Egypt’s handset market is projected to leap from $2.5 billion in 2025 to $4.8 billion by...

Egypt’s $2.5B-to-$4.8B Smartphone Surge Set to Reshape Africa’s Tech Map by 2031
03

Burkina Faso ends Target Malaria, a GMO mosquito project funded by the Gates Foundation. The ...

Burkina Faso Halts a Malaria Program Backed by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
04

Egypt and UNECA launched a five-day workshop in Cairo to strengthen maritime tax audits and IFRS-b...

Egypt Bolsters Maritime Tax Collection With UN Economic Commission Training
05

Sadot and Vodacom’s MOTI launch Africa’s first telco-powered farm-to-fork app to cut crop losses a...

Sadot, Vodacom-Backed MOTI Launch Africa’s First Telco-Powered Farm-to-Fork App  
Enter your email to receive our newsletter

Ecofin Agency provides daily coverage of nine key African economic sectors: public management, finance, telecoms, agribusiness, mining, energy, transport, communication, and education.
It also designs and manages specialized media, both online and print, for African institutions and publishers.

SALES & ADVERTISING

regie@agenceecofin.com 
Tél: +41 22 301 96 11 
Mob: +41 78 699 13 72


EDITORIAL
redaction@agenceecofin.com

More information
Team
Publisher

ECOFIN AGENCY

Mediamania Sarl
Rue du Léman, 6
1201 Geneva
Switzerland

 

Ecofin Agency is a sector-focused economic news agency, founded in December 2010. Its web platform was launched in June 2011. ©Mediamania.

 
 

Please publish modules in offcanvas position.