Tuesday, 17 August, 2021 - 08:30
Khartoum - Mohammed Amin Yassine
Sudan's leaders of the transitional authority, implicitly threatened to resort to the military option if the Ethiopian forces did not withdraw from the remaining lands in al-Fashqa, east of the country.
The warning came during a celebration at al-Fashqa marking the 67th anniversary of the armed forces, attended by Chairman of the Transitional Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok.
During his speech, Burhan asserted that the government is trying to recover its lands through negotiation and peaceful means.
"We will seek diplomatic options for this, but we have other options," Burhan said, referring to the military option.
He pointed out that about six locations in the al-Fashqa area are not under the army's control, and "we want our neighboring country, Ethiopia, to listen to the sound of reason."
He added: "We chose to celebrate the armed forces' anniversary in Al-Fashqa to confirm that this land is Sudanese, and our forces will remain in it."
Burhan indicated that the army tried to recover the area in 2017, but the leaders of the ousted regime were hesitant and afraid of the international community.
He stressed that state decisions are made in consultation and agreement between the institutions of the transitional authority, the Sovereign Council, and the government.
The Prime Minister said Sudan had reached out to all sides as part of a push to end the conflict.
Hamdok stressed that all international conventions and treaties affirm Sudan's sovereignty over this land.
"We want our relationship to be good with Ethiopia, but we will not give up an inch of Sudan's land," he added.
He pointed out that the transitional government worked on Sudan's return to the international community, and these relations open the door wide for the advancement of the armed forces in training and arming.
"We want to transform the border between Sudan and Ethiopia into an area based on development and stability, but we are the rightful owners of this land, and it is in international covenants."
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