Sudan and Ethiopia have closed each other’s consulates and expelled diplomatic staff amid accusations that the neighboring countries are supporting armed groups fighting their respective governments.
Ethiopia ordered the closure of Sudan’s consulate in the western border city of Assosa and gave six diplomats 48 hours to leave, according to media reports on Wednesday. Sudan responded by closing Ethiopia’s consulate in its eastern city of Gedaref and ordering its staff out. Neither foreign ministry publicly explained the decisions.
Sudanese presidential adviser Amjad Farid said his government remained committed to defending its territory, Reuters reported. “Nevertheless, it is making every possible effort to avoid an open war with Ethiopia,” he said.
On Sunday, the Sudanese Foreign Ministry said it had lodged complaints with the UN Security Council and the African Union’s Peace and Security Council, accusing Ethiopia of allowing the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to launch drone attacks from its territory.
“The use of Ethiopian territory by the terrorist militia (RSF) to target Sudanese territory is considered a hostile act,” Sudan’s Foreign Ministry said.
A report released by Sudan’s army-led Transitional Sovereignty Council alleged that 70 attacks between February 15 and October 27 involved 187 one-way attack drones launched from Ethiopia. It said the strikes killed or wounded 484 civilians and killed 176 soldiers, targeting hospitals, residential areas and electricity and fuel facilities.
Addis Ababa has denied supporting the RSF or allowing drone attacks from its territory. In a May 5 statement, its Foreign Ministry dismissed Sudanese accusations as “baseless” and called for an immediate humanitarian truce, a sustained ceasefire and civilian-led dialogue to restore civilian rule in Sudan.
UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Denise Brown said on Tuesday that intensifying drone attacks in Sudan were disrupting electricity, water and fuel supplies. She said a power outage had halted dialysis for 25 patients at a hospital outside Khartoum, while fuel shortages had stranded hundreds of aid trucks.
The expulsions come amid deteriorating regional relations. Ethiopia expelled ten Eritrean diplomats and closed its embassy in Asmara on October 1, prompting Eritrea to sever diplomatic ties. Addis Ababa also expelled an Egyptian diplomat that day. Ethiopia has accused Eritrea, Egypt, and Sudan of supporting an alliance led by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, which joined six other armed groups seeking to overthrow Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government. All three countries deny the allegations.