Sudan and Ethiopia Engage in Diplomatic Expulsions Amidst Escalating Tensions and Accusations

Ethiopia has ordered six Sudanese diplomats to depart within 48 hours and has closed Sudan’s consulate in the border town of Asosa, according to officials from both nations. These actions, announced on Tuesday, come as bilateral tensions intensify. Sudan has accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group of utilizing Ethiopian territory to conduct drone attacks targeting civilian infrastructure. Conversely, Ethiopia claims that Sudan is supporting rebels within Ethiopia's northern Tigray region.

On Sunday, Sudan formally lodged a complaint against Ethiopia with the United Nations Security Council and the African Union’s Peace and Security Council. Khartoum accused Addis Ababa of permitting the RSF to use its territory for drone attacks that have resulted in civilian casualties in Sudan. Amjad Farid, a political and foreign affairs adviser for Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council, stated, “The Sudanese government remains committed to its right to defend its territory. Nevertheless, it is making ⁠every possible effort to avoid an open war with Ethiopia.”

A direct military confrontation with Addis Ababa would place significant strain on Sudan’s already depleted military resources, which are currently engaged in intense fighting against the RSF in the country's southeast. The Sudanese military has consistently alleged that Ethiopia is assisting the RSF, with whom Sudan has been embroiled in a civil war since April 2023. Addis Ababa has denied any support for the RSF in the ongoing Sudanese conflict.

Meanwhile, Ethiopia has accused the Sudanese military of backing rebels associated with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, an accusation that Khartoum has denied. Ethiopia also previously accused Egypt and Eritrea of supporting Tigrayan rebels who initiated an offensive against government forces in September, though all three nations have rejected these claims. The recent expulsions of Sudanese diplomats follow Ethiopia's earlier decision on October 1 to expel 10 Eritrean diplomats and close its embassy in Eritrea, an action that led Eritrea to sever diplomatic ties. Ethiopia had also expelled an Egyptian diplomat the previous month. For Egypt, the ongoing dispute with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam remains a significant strategic concern, contributing to long-standing strained relations between the two neighboring countries.