FM: Ethiopia Concerned by Ongoing Fighting in Sudan

ADDIS ABABA -Ethiopia’s Deputy premier and Foreign minister Demeke Mekonnen expressed deep concerns over the ongoing fighting in Sudan, urging the rival armed forces to return to negotiation table.

The minister held a telephone conversation with Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Sudan, Ali El-Sadig Ali on Monday.

The armed conflict between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that erupted on April 15 continues in Khartoum and other parts of the country.

The fighting comes after weeks of tensions between the rival armed forces over security force reform during negotiations for a new transitional government.

Dozens of civilian casualties have been reported across the country since Saturday.

During the phone conversation Monday, the foreign ministry says, Demeke expressed “Ethiopia’s solidarity with the people of Sudan, and sympathy to those who lost their lives and caught in the crossfires.”

He also told Ali that Ethiopia is confidence that the brotherly people of Sudan will find a Sudanese solution to regain peace and order in these final days of the Holy Month of Ramadan.

Despite multiple calls for an end to the fighting, the army and the paramilitary continued on Monday. Both sides claimed to control key sites in Khartoum, where residents sheltered from explosions.

Regional bloc IGAD on Sunday said it planned to send three presidents to Sudan at the earliest possible time to reconcile the fighting rival military groups.

The group in a virtual meeting agreed to send the presidents of Kenya, South Sudan and Djibouti to the capital Khartoum.l