Sudan, Ethiopia accused of agreeing to support armed Eritrean opposition groups

Eritrea has protested a defense protocol signed between Ethiopia and Sudan, which it says is an agreement to support Eritrean armed opposition groups in order to ‘enable them properly execute their objectives’.

During the Ethiopian premier’s visit to Khartoum at the beginning of May, Dr. Abiy Ahmed and Omar al Bashir agreed to establish a military force to protect Ethiopia’s dam project, secure the border and exchange information aimed at controlling rampant groups.

The Eritrean ministry of information however claims that the two governments are scheming to destablise the country.

To this end, both governments have agreed to provide these groups with material support inside their respective borders as well as to extend to them requisite facilities for enhancing their free and unhindered, cross border movements in the two countries.

‘‘To this end, both governments have agreed to provide these groups with material support inside their respective borders as well as to extend to them requisite facilities for enhancing their free and unhindered, cross border movements in the two countries,’‘ reads part of the statement released by Eritrea.

Abiy is on record for having pledged to mend fences with estranged neighbour, Eritrea in his inauguration speech.

But the Eritreans describe Abiy’s actions as ‘pretentious PR’ that is ‘neither new nor surprising’.

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— Elias Amare (@eliasamare) May 15, 2018

Eritrea achieved independence from Ethiopia in 1993 after decades of armed struggle. In 1998, the two neighbouring countries fought a two-year long war over their disputed border which claimed the lives of at least 70,000.

The two countries have had tense relations as a peace deal signed in 2000 to end the war has never been fully implemented.