Sudan-Ethiopia Dispute: Khartoum Ready for Attacks

Sudanese military sources revealed Friday that the army monitored movements of Ethiopian army forces on the border between the two countries, pointing out the possibility of renewed confrontations between the two parties.

Al-Sharq News website quoted the sources as saying that "the Sudanese army is ready to confront any possible attack on its eastern borders."

The sources pointed out that "the Sudanese side monitored a number of Ethiopian intelligence cells inside its territory that are providing the Ethiopian army with sensitive information."

Earlier, the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry accused Khartoum of violating its borders and committing "illegal" acts.

The Ethiopian Ministry said, "Khartoum exploited the conflict in the Tigray region to ignite a border conflict," stressing that "Ethiopia will take measures to protect its borders if Khartoum does not stop its illegal activities."

On its part, the Sudanese army announced that it had "regained 80% of the territory that was controlled by Ethiopian groups, and had taken control of a large number of villages inhabited by the Ethiopian militia."

Tensions have escalated in the border region since the outbreak of the conflict in the Tigray region in northern Ethiopia, in early November, and the arrival of more than 60,000 refugees to eastern Sudan.

In recent weeks, the Sudanese army began to expand in the territories that were under the control of the Ethiopian militias supported by Addis Ababa, over the past 26 years.

Armed clashes have occurred between the two forces in recent weeks, and each side has accused the other of inciting violence. Hence, the two countries held talks in Khartoum on that issue.