Eritrea denies massing troops on Sudanese border

ASMARA, March 11 (AFP) — Eritrea on Friday strongly denied allegations it is massing troops along its border with Sudan, rejecting as “groundless” reported statements to that effect made by a Sudanese official.

“It’s a groundless accusation, a total fabrication,” said Yemane Gebremeskel, director of Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki’s office.

The denial followed reports in Sudanese media quoting Faruq Hassan Mohamed, the governor of Sudan’s eastern state of Kassala, as saying Eritrea was boosting its forces along the border for the purposes of spying.

Faruq was quoted as saying that Eritrea is “carrying out surveillance activities in conjunction with some armed groups” and that officials in Kassala were “conducting an extensive security operation in anticipation of aggression.”

Gebremeskel dismissed the allegations, saying Faruq had “made a habit” of making such charges.

Relations between Eritrea and Sudan are tense with the two governments frequently accusing each other of supporting opposition movements on the other’s soil.

The border between the two countries has been officially closed since October 2002, when Khartoum accused Asmara of supporting an offensive led by Sudanese rebels near Kassala, in eastern Sudan.