Eritrea sends emergency aid to flooded Sudan region

ASMARA, Aug 14 (AFP) — Eritrea Thursday sent a convoy of medical aid and emergency supplies to the eastern Sudanese city of Kassala, where floods have left tens of thousands without shelter.

The convoy is carrying a medical team, food, water and other emergency equipment to the city, located close to the border with Eritrea, a foreign ministry spokesman said.

The spokesman said Eritrea was acting on a “duty to help these people” following last month’s floods, the worst in 70 years in eastern Sudan.

“We have got historical and cultural ties with the people of Sudan, especially with the people of the region of Kassala,” he said.

The border between the two countries is officially closed since October 2002, when the Sudanese government accused Eritrea of supporting a rebel offensive in the Kassala area.

Floods on the region’s Gash river late last month left 13,000 households in Kassala homeless and destroyed dozens of schools and clinics, as well as the main hospital.

The United Nations on Monday launched an appeal to international donors for 8.63 million dollars in emergency aid for Sudan.