After Addis Ababa accused Khartoum of supporting Tigray fighters to sabotage the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Sudan categorically denied these accusations. The media advisor to the Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces, Tahr Al-Bou Haja, stated late last Friday that the Ethiopian regime should resolve its internal issues "away from Sudan."
A statement published by the Sudanese Armed Forces via Facebook quoted Al-Bou Haja as saying, "We have followed statements attributed to the Ethiopian army regarding Sudanese Armed Forces supporting armed groups attempting to sabotage the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam; we affirm that this accusation is baseless." He emphasized that "Sudan and its army do not interfere in the internal affairs of neighboring Ethiopia or others," urging the Ethiopian leadership to work on resolving its conflicts without involving Sudan, as he expressed.
Difficult Reality
Moreover, he reflected on the Sudanese statement regarding "the difficult reality faced by the Ethiopian regime due to its ongoing violations of its people's rights." This comes after the Ethiopian Ministry of Defense announced earlier that it had thwarted a terrorist attack by Tigray elements targeting the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, engaging with the militants, which resulted in the deaths of dozens of armed fighters.
Sabotage Attempt on the Dam!
It added in a statement that 50 armed men were killed, and 70 others from the Tigray forces were injured after they attempted to infiltrate through the Mahala area along the Sudanese border. Meanwhile, Fana Ethiopian Radio reported that the group attempted to cross into the country from Sudan, noting that the army found landmines and various types of explosives with the group.
These accusations come at a time when the two countries have been facing ongoing tensions for months due to border issues and the influx of thousands of Ethiopians fleeing from Tigray towards the Sudanese border, in addition to the complex issue of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which negotiations over have been stalled for years.
