Sudan-Ethiopia tensions rise after airport drone strikes

Sudan has recalled its ambassador to Ethiopia, accusing Addis Ababa of carrying out a series of drone attacks that struck its international airport and other sites on Monday.

Sudanese Foreign Minister Mohi El-Din Salem said in a statement on Tuesday that the ambassador was being called back for consultations, adding that Sudan is “ready to enter into an open confrontation with Ethiopia,” News.Az reports, citing Xinhua.

“The drones that attacked Sudanese facilities yesterday (Monday) were launched from Ethiopia’s Bahir Dar Airport,” he said.

Salem added that Sudan has the legal right to respond to what he described as “aggression” in any manner it sees fit. “We do not seek to initiate aggression against any country, but whoever attacks us will be responded to,” he said.

Asim Awad Abdelwahab, spokesperson for the Sudanese Armed Forces, also warned of a strong response, stating that the military “will respond twice as hard.” He said the army possesses “confirmed information regarding Ethiopia’s participation in the aggression against Sudan.”

“Our armed forces are fully prepared to deal with any threat in a manner that preserves the dignity, sovereignty and security of the nation,” he added.

The statements follow drone strikes targeting Khartoum International Airport and military installations in the capital on Monday, causing explosions and sending plumes of smoke into the sky. According to Sudan’s Ministry of Culture and Information, no casualties or material damage were reported.

Authorities evacuated airport personnel and closed the airport for 72 hours as a precaution, with officials saying air traffic will resume once safety procedures are completed.

The attacks also struck areas near the Signal Corps in Bahri, north of Khartoum, and the Al-Markhiyat camp north of Omdurman. There has been no confirmed information on the extent of any damage.

Large parts of Sudan have seen a noticeable rise in the use of drones in military operations, raising concerns about their increasing impact on civilians.

Since mid-April 2023, fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions both within Sudan and abroad, according to international estimates.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev