Sudan: Tensions Between Sudan and Ethiopia Escalate Further

Tensions between Sudan and Ethiopia over border issues are escalating after an Ethiopian military aircraft entered eastern Sudanese airspace yesterday. Politicians call for the expulsion of the Ethiopian ambassador in Khartoum. The Ethiopian military aircraft penetrated the Sudanese airspace when a high-ranking military delegation, headed by the Chairman of the Sovereign Council, Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, was visiting El Gedaref to discuss the recent border issues with officials in the eastern Sudanese state. The delegation also visited the area in El Gureisha where six women and a child were killed in an attack by Ethiopian gunmen earlier this week. The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the penetration of an Ethiopian military aeroplane into the Sudanese airspace, in a statement yesterday. They called it a dangerous and unjustified escalation of hostilities that will cause more tension in the border regions. The ministry called on Ethiopia not to repeat such hostilities in the future given the serious repercussions on the future of bilateral relations between the two countries and on security and stability in the Horn of Africa.