Ethiopia rejects blame over alleged Sudan executions

Sudan has vowed to respond to what it called a "treacherous act" and announced it would recall its ambassador to Addis Ababa.

But the Ethiopian government said it believed the June 22 incident was "deliberately concocted" to undermine relations between the two countries.

A foreign ministry statement said it took place "within Ethiopian territory after incursions by a Sudanese regular army unit supported by elements of the terrorist TPLF," a reference to the Tigray People's Liberation Front.

It said the government "regrets the loss of life as a result of a skirmish between the Sudanese army and a local militia", adding that an investigation would be carried out soon.

"The government of Ethiopia categorically rejects the misrepresentation of these facts by the Sudanese defence forces that unjustly put the blame on Ethiopia while it was the Sudanese army unit that has crossed into the Ethiopian border provoking the incident."

It voiced hope that Sudan "would restrain itself from any escalation of the incident and would take measures that could de-escalate the situation".

Tensions have risen between the two sides in recent years, sparking sporadic armed clashes, over the Al-Fashaqa border strip which is close to Ethiopia's troubled Tigray region.

Further friction arose after the conflict erupted in Tigray between Ethiopian government forces and the TPLF in November 2020, sending tens of thousands of refugees into Sudan.