At least 50 Ethiopian soldiers were killed when they clashed with Sudanese forces in a disputed border region, Sudanese army sources, said on Friday.
The fighting began after Ethiopian soldiers launched separate attacks on the Sudanese army in the Umm Karura area of the Al-Fashqa region on Thursday, two high-ranking army officers said on condition of anonymity.
One Sudanese soldier was also killed during the clashes, the officers said.
Sudan’s army was able to reclaim agricultural land and take control of an Ethiopian army camp, according to the officers.
The media was unable to reach Ethiopian authorities for comment on Friday.
The al-Fashqa border area has been disputed by both countries for decades.
The most recent talks, which took place in December in Sudan’s capital Khartoum, ended without an agreement.
In mid-January, Sudan’s Foreign Ministry said Ethiopian warplanes had entered Sudanese airspace in a “serious” violation that elevated existing tensions.
Ethiopia’s ongoing conflict with its northern Tigray region, which also borders Sudan, has seen thousands of Ethiopians flee to Sudan and has also added fuel to the fire.
In addition, Sudan and Ethiopia are experiencing political tensions over the disputed Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam project, an ambitious hydro-electric project, which will affect the water flow of the Blue Nile in Sudan as well as Egypt. (dpa/NAN)
