Sudan says Eritrean soldiers massing along common border

KHARTOUM, Aug 8 (AFP) — Sudan has accused neighboring Eritrea of reinforcing its troops along their border to support an imminent offensive by Sudanese opposition forces based on Eritrean soil, the Sudan Media Center reported Sunday.

The Center, an information outlet with close ties to the government, quoted the governor of the eastern state of Kassala, General Farouq Ahmed Nour, as saying that the move “comes in the context of a plot aimed at escalating military operations” in the east of the country.

The aim of the plan, he claimed, was to support an offensive planned by eastern Sudanese opposition forces based in Eritrea.

“The Eritrean reinforcements indicate a major plan expected to be carried out by rebel forces consisting of the Free Lions, the Darfur rebels and the Beja Congress backed by the government of (Issaias) Afeworki,” Nour said.

The governor added that the opposition forces were being trained and armed by Eritrean authorities.

“The eastern front has now become a target of Eritrean military operations against Sudan,” Nour asserted.

As a result of these developments, Sudanese forces stationed in and around the Gulsah border area have been instructed to remain there indefinitely, according to Nour.

He also pointed out that those forces have been placed on a higher state of alert. “We have taken the necessary arrangements to face any emergency,” said Nour.

Khartoum has consistently accused Asmara of supporting opposition groups bent on overthrowing the government of President Omar el-Beshir, a charge Eritrea vehemently denies.

The latest charge comes as Sudan is under strong international pressure over its heavy-handed treatment of unrest in Darfur, which lies in the west of the country neighboring Chad.