Sudanese army repels Ethiopian militiamen in border area

July 13, 2021 (GEDAREF) – The Sudanese Armed Forces in Gedaref state last Sunday repelled Ethiopian militias that crossed the border into the eastern Sudan border area

The Executive Director of Basanda border locality in Gedaref state, Mamoun Abdel Rahim, said that the Ethiopian militiamen sought again to take control of the Sudanese areas that the army had previously chased them from it.

Abdel Rahim added that the Ethiopian militias wanted to control the border areas of Umm Diblo, Haskanet near the border to enable their farmers to cultivate it.

“The armed forces and reserve forces recover the Sudanese territory and expelling the Ethiopian militias that controlled fifty thousand acres in this area,” he added.

Ethiopian government massed troops on the border areas with Sudan but their militiamen continue to sneak into the Sudanese territory.

Sudanese officials accuse the Ethiopian authorities of turning a blind eye to their attacks if they are not encouraging them.

Abdel Rahim stressed that the Sudanese army continues to conduct patrols to monitor the border and protect Sudanese farmers who resumed their activities.

Due to the border crisis with Ethiopia, coupled with the GERD dispute, the relationship of Sudan with Ethiopia has become severely strained.

Sudanese government and residents of the border areas accuse the former regime of allowing the Ethiopian farmers to seize their agricultural lands.

Also, Khartoum says that Ethiopian farmers are welcomed as foreign investors once the border markers are placed.

(ST)