NAIROBI (Somaliguardian) – Sudan blocked a convoy of UN peacekeepers from crossing a disputed border with Ethiopia amid escalating tensions that followed the execution of Sudanese soldiers and clashes between the two countries’ armies last week, Sudan Tribune reported on Saturday.
The convoy of about 51 trucks carrying 102 vehicles was stopped at the Gallabat border crossing which had been closed last week following an alleged killing of 7 Sudanese soldiers by the Ethiopian military. A number of other vehicles carrying food and other consignments were refused permission to cross the border into Ethiopia.
The trucks were on their way to the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.
Last year, Sudan urged the United Nations to pull out Ethiopian forces part of a peacekeeping mission in Abyei, an area on the border between Sudan and South Sudan. Juba opposed Sudanese decision and called for continued presence of Ethiopian troops there.
Ethiopia deployed special forces along the disputed border with Sudan on Saturday after Sudanese forces repelled a cross-border attack on Thursday. Khartoum launched an air and ground offensive to retake contested border settlements from Ethiopia last week, though casualties inflicted by the clashes are still unknown.
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