Sudan military says six of its soldiers killed by Ethiopian forces along border

The Sudanese armed forces on Sunday, 28 November, said that six of its soldiers were killed in fighting in the nation’s border region with Ethiopia. According to AP, this came a day after the military claimed that Ethiopian and militia forces attacked the border area of al-Fashaqa, a disputed agricultural area that straddles the two countries. On Saturday, the Sudanese forces had been in the area to protect farmers harvesting crops. 

Previously, the Sudanese forces had informed in a statement that there have been several losses of lives from both sides due to the attempted invasion by Ethiopian soldiers. The Sudan army had thwarted the raid attempt by the Ethiopian troops and allied Amhara militia to advance much further into Sudan, as part of an operation against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). It is to mention that Saturday’s fighting came after the Ethiopian parliament announced a six-month state of emergency across the nation previously this month to safeguard the people from TPLF insurgents who are marching into Addis Ababa, the capital of the nation. 

It also came amid political turmoil in Sudan. Back in October, the Sudanese generals deposed the country’s transitional civilian government and arrested more than a hundred officials. Following the coup, the nation witnessed mass protests. Even after the general reinstated Sudanese PM Abdalla Hamdok under military oversight amid international pressure, many of the country’s pro-democratic forces continue to call for the military to release its grip on power. 

Ethiopia-Sudan dispute 

Coming back to the decades-old dispute between Ethiopia and Sudan, it is imperative to note that Ethiopia centres on large swaths of farming land that Sudan says are within its borders, according to an agreement that demarcated the line between the two nations in the early 1900s. The two neighbouring countries have held rounds of talks in a bid to settle the disagreement, however, they haven’t made any progress. The matters had escalated last year after Sudan deployed troops at al-Fashaqa to drive out Ethiopian farmers and militia in the area. According to AP, Ethiopia has accused Sudan of taking advantage of the conflict which erupted a year ago between the central government and the northern Tigray region. 

(Image: AP)