Ethiopian army close to rescuing 100 abducted children in S. Sudan

Ethiopia’s army has reportedly identified where it believes about 100 abducted Ethiopian children are being held in neighbouring South Sudan.

The children were taken in a cross-border raid which led to the death of over 200 people in the Gambella region a week ago.

The government has blamed the abduction on the Murle community. Flags have been flying at half mast in Ethiopia as the country mourns those who were killed.

Ethiopia army enters S Sudan to find kidnapped children https://t.co/IvbhsXYIyR pic.twitter.com/Yf4u764pIO

— Malika Bilal (@mmbilal) April 21, 2016

According to the government-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate, a government official in Gambella assured that the children would soon be rescued.

Meanwhile, South Sudan’s acting Foreign Minister Peter Bashir Gbandi is set to travel to Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, on Friday to coordinate the mission, the AP news agency reports.

South Sudan does not want Ethiopian troops to go deeper into the country moreover, the area where the children are being held “is full of jungle,” Mr Bashir is quoted by the Associated Press news agency as saying.

Ethiopia shares a long border with South Sudan and cross-border raids are not uncommon. Barely hours after last Friday’s attack was reported, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said the Ethiopia had requested permission from South Sudan to enter its territory to pursue the attackers.