Arabic version: السودان يقول إنه لا يسعى إلى حرب مع إثيوبيا

According to Allafrica, Sudan does not want war with Ethiopia despite what Gen. Malik Agar, deputy head of Sudan’s Sovereignty Council, described as an increasingly “hostile position from Addis Abeba.” Agar made the remarks on Wednesday at a media forum in Khartoum.

“We do not want to get involved in a war with Ethiopia,” Agar told journalists, according to Radio Tamazuj. His comments followed heightened tension along the countries’ border and Sudanese military allegations that Ethiopia has allowed the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and allied forces to launch drones from its territory. Ethiopia has previously rejected the accusations as baseless.

On Monday, Sudan army chief of staff Lt. Gen. Yasser al-Atta accused Ethiopia of seeking to exploit Sudan’s war to take border territory and of allowing RSF drones to operate from Ethiopian soil. The allegations came after drone attacks in Sudan’s Blue Nile state, which borders Ethiopia.

Agar said Sudan does not want the conflict that began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF to expand into a wider regional war. He said protecting Sudan’s territorial integrity and national unity was a “red line,” and reiterated the army-aligned government’s position that Sudan should have one national army.

Sudan and Ethiopia have longstanding border disputes, including over the al-Fashaga agricultural area. Sudanese officials have repeatedly linked alleged RSF drone activity to Ethiopian territory, while Ethiopia has denied facilitating arms transfers or training for the group. Fighting has intensified in Blue Nile, Darfur and Kordofan as the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF continues.