Sudanese officials in the eastern borderlands with Ethiopia have accused armed militias, allegedly supported by the Ethiopian army, of making a new incursion into Sudanese territory in the volatile Al-Fashqa region. The development, which reportedly took place earlier this week, has reignited tensions along a long-contested section of the Sudan-Ethiopia border.
According to Sudan Tribune, officials in Al-Fashqa claim that a “security vacuum” caused by Sudan’s ongoing civil conflict has opened the door for renewed attacks and land grabs by Ethiopian militias. These militias, they allege, are receiving logistical and military support from regular units of the Ethiopian army. The unnamed officials said the latest incident saw armed groups crossing into Sudanese farmland, preventing local farmers from accessing their land during the critical cultivation season.
Mubarak Al-Nour, Vice President of the Eastern Sudan Coordination Committee, confirmed to local media that “there is a new incursion by Ethiopian militias into the same lands that were previously recovered by the Sudanese army.” He added that the reoccupation of these contested plots is a direct challenge to Sudan’s sovereignty and could destabilize already fragile security conditions in the border region.
Meanwhile, counterclaims have emerged from the Ethiopian side. Ethio Focus, a local Ethiopian news outlet, reported that 12 Ethiopian farmers were killed and over 430 head of livestock were looted in what was described as an attack by Sudanese forces. The outlet suggested the incident occurred in the same general border area and framed it as a retaliatory or opportunistic move amid ongoing tensions.
The Al-Fashqa triangle — a fertile but poorly demarcated area between the Blue Nile and Tekezé rivers — has long been at the heart of a territorial dispute between Sudan and Ethiopia. In late 2020, as the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) was redeployed to the north to fight the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), Sudanese forces moved in and seized control of large portions of Al-Fashqa — reportedly advancing as much as 70 kilometers into what Ethiopia considers its territory.
While Ethiopia has consistently called for a negotiated resolution to the boundary dispute, Sudanese authorities have asserted sovereignty over Al-Fashqa and have sought to consolidate control through the deployment of troops and resettlement of farmers. Clashes have since erupted periodically, with both sides accusing each other of aggression, violations, and territorial encroachment.
The latest incident comes at a time when both nations are grappling with internal instability. Sudan is still reeling from over a year of civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), while Ethiopia remains entangled in a protracted conflict with armed militias in its Amhara region and simmering tensions in Tigray.
Adding to the complexity is the shifting geopolitical landscape. Sudan’s ruling military leadership under General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has recently forged a stronger alliance with Eritrea — a country that has historically had tense relations with Ethiopia. Reports have emerged of Eritrean support for Sudan’s army in its war against the RSF, though Eritrea denies any direct involvement in the Sudanese conflict.
As of Saturday evening, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had not issued an official response to the Sudanese allegations. However, analysts warn that continued skirmishes in Al-Fashqa — coupled with both countries’ weakened state capacities — could risk escalating into a broader regional confrontation unless diplomatic efforts are revived.
The situation underscores the fragile nature of border security in the Horn of Africa, where overlapping internal conflicts and historical grievances frequently spill across national lines. For farmers and communities on both sides of the border, the cost of these clashes is immediate and devastating — lost lives, stolen livelihoods, and a deepening sense of insecurity.
