Sudan hands over 55 detained militaries to Ethiopia
December 219, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese government handed over 55 Ethiopian soldiers who were arrested by the Sudanese army during the clashes that took place between the two countries around the Al-Fashaqa border strip.
According to a statement released by the official news agency SUNA, the handover took place in the Ethiopian city of Matama on Sunday, December 18th.
The statement highlighted the “positive atmosphere of cooperation and coordination” between the two parties.”
In return, the Ethiopian authorities handed over 11 Sudanese civilians, the agency further added.
The exchange of prisoners of war “proves the good intentions of the (Sudanese) armed forces, and in accordance with international protocols, and human rights laws,” said Colonel Suleiman Abu Halima, head of the Military Intelligence Division in Gederaf.
Tension prevailed between the two countries when the Sudanese army expelled Ethiopian farmers from the fertile border area between the two countries after the outbreak of civil war in the Tigray region.
Following what, the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed claimed the Al-Fashqa area and that they did not recognize the agreements signed between the two countries.
On July 5, 2022, Abiy and the head of the Sovereign Council in Sudan Abdel Fattah al-Burhan agreed to work peacefully to end the dispute over the border area.
(ST)