16 died, 12 injured in Ethio-Sudanese border conflict

ESAT (October 29, 2015)

Sudan Tribune reported on Thursday October 29, 2015 that ongoing clashes at the Ethio-Sudanese border in El-Gadaref state claimed the lives of at least 16 Sudanese nationals.

12 more people were wounded and 7 others were kidnapped during the clash, the report obtained from Sudan Tribune indicated. In addition, more than 300 cattle were also looted from Sudanese farmers.

Former Chief of Staff of the Sudanese Army and Current Interior Minister Esmat Abdel-Rahman told Sudanese Parliamentarians that armed Ethiopians attacked Sudan

Pedestrians crossing Sudan-Ethiopia border bridge

ese forces and farmers at ’’Fashaga’’, ’’Algalabat’’, ’’Giraisha’’ and Sanda areas in El-Gadaref.

Ethiopia and Sudan reached an agreement to solve border disputes, patrol the area, and control human traffickers, but it could not be implemented so far, the report showed.

ESAT two weeks ago reported that 8 Ethiopians were killed when the Sudanese attacked Ethiopians at the joint border in Fashaga.

The Sudanese Parliament members suggested the Sudanese government to deploy reinforcement which comprised the Sudanese army and the special forces to protect the Sudanese farmers and territory.

The farmers from both Ethiopians and Sudanese disputed on the ownership of the land in the area.

Previously, the governor of Gedaref state, Sarghani Salih, said that Ethiopia controlled more than a million acres of Sudanese Agricultural land in the area of Al-Fashaga. Sudan Tribune alsa reported that the Ethiopian forces occupied 749 km of fertile land from the Sudanese farmers.

The Ethiopian government in June confirmed that it “returned” the land Ethiopia took from Sudan two decades ago. The Deputy Prime Minister, Demeke Mekonnen said the land was occupied by Ethiopians in 1996.The Deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia did not elaborate on the size of the land that was given back to Sudan.

Demeke said no one from both sides was displaced during the returning process.

Ethiopians accuse the TPLF/EPRDF government for abandoning Ethiopian fertile land and territory to Sudan.