Sudan army pushes to control disputed area with Ethiopia

By Bahram Abdelmoneim
KHARTOUM, Sudan - (AA) – The Sudanese army is carrying out a military push to take control of Barkhat, the last location in al-Fashqa that is still under Ethiopia’s control, local media reported on Tuesday.

Sudan Tribune newspaper, citing military sources, said clashes were underway since Monday between the Sudanese army and Ethiopian forces backed by Eritrean troops in the border area between the two countries.

The sources said the Sudanese army was quickly advancing towards Barkhat after retaking Kurdia and has “inflicted severe losses” on the Ethiopian troops and their allies.

According to the newspaper, Ethiopian and Eritrean forces have massed inside the area with heavy military equipment.

There has been no official comment from Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea on the reports.

With a 1,600-kilometer (994-mile) shared border, Sudan and Ethiopia are engaged in a conflict regarding al-Fashqa Triangle, a decades-long disputed border without rigid demarcation that was renewed in November.

While Khartoum said it imposed its control on Sudanese territory where Ethiopian militias were present, Addis Ababa accuses the Sudanese army of controlling the Ethiopian region, a claim denied by Khartoum.

*Ibrahim Mukhtar in Ankara contributed to this report