Cross-border tensions: Ethiopian PM Abiy summons Sudanese ambassador

The Ethiopian Prime Minister, Ahmed Abiy, has summoned the Sudanese ambassador in Addis Ababa amid raised tensions along the border between the two countries, the Al Arabiya broadcaster reports on Friday, citing diplomatic sources.

Sudanese Prime Minister, Abdalla Hamdok earlier this week accused the Ethiopian armed forces of ambushing a Sudanese military patrol.

Military sources said the Sudanese armed forces had begun consolidating its positions along the border with Ethiopia, leading to Abiy summoning the ambassador.

Abiy said on Thursday that the recent clashes would not affect Ethiopia’s relationship with Sudan, in spite of the Sudanese military’s reports of casualties.

Roughly 50,000 Ethiopians have fled to Sudan during the recent conflict between the Ethiopian armed forces and militia loyal to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front in the north of the country, according to the UN Refugee Agency.