Ethiopia expels 6 Sudan diplomats, orders closure of consulate, reports say
Move comes after Sudan lodged official complaints against Ethiopia, accusing Addis Ababa of supporting the RSF group.
Ethiopia has ordered six Sudanese diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours and closed Sudan’s consulate in the border town of Asosa, according to media reports.
The reports on Tuesday came as tensions between the countries continue to rise, with Sudan accusing Addis Ababa of supporting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which is fighting the Sudanese army, while Ethiopia accuses Khartoum of backing rebels in its northern Tigray region.
The allegations and counter-allegations, which both sides deny, have raised fears that Ethiopia’s and Sudan’s wars could bleed into each other, spawning a broader conflict in the Horn of Africa.
“The Sudanese government remains committed to its right to defend its territory. Nevertheless, it is making every possible effort to avoid an open war with Ethiopia,” said Amjad Farid, political and foreign affairs adviser for Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council.