- Ready for joint investigations
BY HAILE DEMEKE
ADDIS ABABA –The Ethiopian National Defense (ENDF) has categorically rejected Sudanese Defense Force’s statement that accused the Ethiopian troops of executing captive Sudanese soldiers.
At a press conference he held yesterday, Public Relations Director with the ENDF Col. Getnet Adane stated that the recent incident was happen within the Ethiopian territory after incursions by a Sudanese regular army unit supported by elements of the Terrorist TPLF and other forces. Both sides face damage and the Sudanese counterpart has issued statements full of warning and intimidation by falsely accusing the Ethiopian Army of executing captives and civilians which are far from truth.
Colonel Getnet further highlighted that the Ethiopian Army was not present in the areas where the Sudanese army intruded the Ethiopian territory and clashed with local militias. “Our forces comply with the rules of the country but the Sudanese army has continued its belligerence in border areas as a means of lessening internal political crisis and diverting public attention in Sudan. Despite continued belligerence by the Sudanese side our force refrains from escalating the situation and insists on its peaceful approach.”
The Ethiopian Army is committed to its longstanding military professional ethics and known by its discipline, acceptance and outstanding achievements which entitled it to be chosen for regional and global peacekeeping missions. The Ethiopian military’s discipline had been demonstrated during the Korean and Congo operations and even the two Sudans themselves commended the Army’s professionalism in its peacekeeping mission in the disputed Abyei region, he elaborated.
The public relations director pointed out that the ENDF is ready to cooperate with any external body interested to conduct an investigation on the situation and willing to study the situation in a committee comprising representatives of the two countries. “Ethiopia is still pursuing peaceful ways to resolve the situation taking the longstanding people to people ties between the two countries into consideration. It is not customary to the Ethiopian national army to engage in banditry to protect the sovereignty of the country and it is in a better position to shatter any belligerence in a dignified and apparent manner.”
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) expressed regrets on the loss of life as a result of a skirmish between the Sudanese army and a local militia following the incident that took place within Ethiopian territory; noting an investigation would be carried out soon. MoFA also rejected the misrepresentation of facts by the Sudanese defense forces that unjustly put the blame on Ethiopia while it was the Sudanese army unit that had crossed into the Ethiopian border and provoked the incident.
The June 29/2022
