Sudan Threatens to Use Military Option to Regain Control over Border with Ethiopia

Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok speaks during a press conference in Khartoum on Sunday (AFP)
Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok speaks during a press conference in Khartoum on Sunday (AFP)
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Sudan Threatens to Use Military Option to Regain Control over Border with Ethiopia

Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok speaks during a press conference in Khartoum on Sunday (AFP)
Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok speaks during a press conference in Khartoum on Sunday (AFP)

Sudan's leaders of the transitional authority, implicitly threatened to resort to the military option if the Ethiopian forces did not withdraw from the remaining lands in al-Fashqa, east of the country.

The warning came during a celebration at al-Fashqa marking the 67th anniversary of the armed forces, attended by Chairman of the Transitional Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok.

During his speech, Burhan asserted that the government is trying to recover its lands through negotiation and peaceful means.

"We will seek diplomatic options for this, but we have other options," Burhan said, referring to the military option.

He pointed out that about six locations in the al-Fashqa area are not under the army's control, and "we want our neighboring country, Ethiopia, to listen to the sound of reason."

He added: "We chose to celebrate the armed forces' anniversary in Al-Fashqa to confirm that this land is Sudanese, and our forces will remain in it."

Burhan indicated that the army tried to recover the area in 2017, but the leaders of the ousted regime were hesitant and afraid of the international community.

He stressed that state decisions are made in consultation and agreement between the institutions of the transitional authority, the Sovereign Council, and the government.

The Prime Minister said Sudan had reached out to all sides as part of a push to end the conflict.

Hamdok stressed that all international conventions and treaties affirm Sudan's sovereignty over this land.

"We want our relationship to be good with Ethiopia, but we will not give up an inch of Sudan's land," he added.

He pointed out that the transitional government worked on Sudan's return to the international community, and these relations open the door wide for the advancement of the armed forces in training and arming.

"We want to transform the border between Sudan and Ethiopia into an area based on development and stability, but we are the rightful owners of this land, and it is in international covenants."



Sudan’s Burhan Vows to Forge ahead in Defeating RSF

Head of Sudan’s Sovereignty Council and army commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (R) during a visit to Musawwarat. (Facebook)
Head of Sudan’s Sovereignty Council and army commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (R) during a visit to Musawwarat. (Facebook)
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Sudan’s Burhan Vows to Forge ahead in Defeating RSF

Head of Sudan’s Sovereignty Council and army commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (R) during a visit to Musawwarat. (Facebook)
Head of Sudan’s Sovereignty Council and army commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (R) during a visit to Musawwarat. (Facebook)

Head of Sudan’s Sovereignty Council and army commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan declared on Thursday that there can be no reconciliation with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

“We are forging ahead with the battle for dignity to defeat this rebellion. We will not betray the sacrifices of our sons and brothers, who gave their lives in defending their country,” he said during a visit to the Naqa and Musawwarat region in the Nile River state on the occasion of the 71st Army Day.

He hailed the Sudanese people who have stood by the armed forces, especially in the regions of El-Fasher, Babanusa and Kadugli, as well as all the forces that are defending and protecting the people.

On the same occasion, Prime Minister Kamil Idris said the armed forces have made several sacrifices in defending Sudan’s sovereignty.

“The country is waging a fateful war” against the RSF in order to preserve its unity and independence, he stressed.

The country is facing a fierce attack that is threatening the state, which demands internal unity and solidarity with the armed forces, he went on to say.

Meanwhile, reactions continued to pour in over the United Nations Security Council’s strong rejection of the establishment of a parallel government in areas held by the RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.

The Foreign Ministry welcomed the statement, saying the Sudanese government remains committed to preserving the sovereignty, safety, security, stability and unity of the country.

It said it was ready to work with the international community in line with rules and norms that serve the interests of the people.

The Security Council on Wednesday rejected plans by the RSF to establish a rival government in areas it controls, warning that the move threatens the country’s territorial integrity and risks further exacerbating the ongoing civil war.

The strongly worded statement “unequivocally reaffirmed” its unwavering commitment to Sudan’s sovereignty, independence and unity.

Any steps to undermine these principles “threaten not only the future of Sudan but also the peace and stability of the broader region,” the statement said.

The 15-member council said the announcement by the RSF also risks “fragmenting the country and worsening an already dire humanitarian situation.”

Sudan plunged into conflict in mid-April 2023, when long-simmering tensions between its military and paramilitary leaders broke out in the capital, Khartoum, and spread to other regions, including western Darfur. Some 40,000 people have been killed, nearly 13 million displaced and many pushed to the brink of famine, UN agencies say.

The RSF and their allies announced in late June that they had formed a parallel government in areas the group controls, mainly in the vast Darfur region where allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity are being investigated.