Sudan has accused Ethiopia of being involved in its civil war for the first time
Sudan has charged Ethiopia with permitting drones to be launched from its territory into Sudan to conduct attacks in February and March, marking the first instance of it directly accusing its influential neighbor of involvement in the three-year civil war.
The statement from the Sudanese foreign ministry, issued late on Monday, indicates that one of the world’s most lethal conflicts between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) is attracting the attention of regional powers from Africa and beyond.
A representative from the Ethiopian prime minister’s office has yet to reply to a request for comment. Reuters has not confirmed the launch of attack drones from Ethiopia through independent verification.
The Sudanese army is engaged in combat with the paramilitary RSF in a conflict that poses a significant risk of fracturing the nation and has forced millions to abandon their homes.
The statement did not clarify the locations of the alleged attacks; however, eyewitnesses report that the southeastern Blue Nile state, which shares a border with Ethiopia, has experienced minor skirmishes and drone strikes recently.
Certain areas of Blue Nile are under the control of the SPLM-N (Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North) rebel group, which formed an alliance with the RSF last year.
The reported drone attacks are described as “a clear violation of Sudanese sovereignty and a direct act of aggression against the Sudanese state,” according to a statement from the foreign ministry. “The Sudanese government cautions the Ethiopian authorities about the repercussions of these hostile actions and reaffirms its right to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity, including the right to respond to such attacks using all available means,” it continued.
Last month, Reuters exclusively reported that Ethiopia was hosting a secret camp to train thousands of fighters for the RSF.
The government spokesperson of Ethiopia, along with its army and the RSF, did not provide detailed comments regarding the findings of that story. The Sudanese Armed Forces did not provide a response to the request for comment regarding the story.
The RSF governs the Darfur region in the western part of Sudan, whereas the army oversees the eastern half of the country.
The Kordofan region, located between their established zones of control, is the focal point of conflict between the two sides.
Drones have emerged as a significant element of the conflict, enabling the RSF to compete with the more established army’s aerial superiority and leading to numerous civilian casualties.
