Chief of Staff of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces Berhanu Jula said Ethiopia does not have any interest to enter into war with Sudan but “when the need comes, it will do it openly”
In an interview with VOA Amharic Service, the Chief of Staff blamed some forces within the Sudanese army for serving as agents and striving to get hidden agenda of a third party is done by pushing the two neighboring states into war.
“We do not believe that Khartoum had consulted the people of Sudan prior to the latest incursion against Ethiopia’s territory and there is no point for the two countries to enter into war amid economic and security challenges they are faced with,” Berhanu stated.
According to the Chief of Staff, there are extremist forces which want the two countries fall into their trap and get the goals achieved. Ethiopia will not fall victims of their trap rather will try to resolve the border dispute with Sudan through diplomatic means, he continued.
The Chief of Staff claimed Sudan’s incursion along the Ethiopian territory has nothing to do with a border issue. “If it was about land, they have a lot of land they lost in the north,” he added.
General Berhanu said Sudan’s incursion into Ethiopia’s territory is not an invasion. “Had it been invasion, the Sudanese army would have attempted to control the rest of the country.”
Mid this week, Sudan closed its airspace in the eastern part of the country which is a major air way for Ethiopian Airlines passengers’ flights. The closure came following allegation that Ethiopian jet violated Sudan’s air space.
The Chief of Staff dismissed the allegation as another “fabricated report” of the third party.
