Eritrea rejects a request from Sudan to open its borders by Salih Amar*

10:28 PM August, 11 2018

Sudanese Online
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Sources revealed that Eritrea rejected a Sudanese request to open border crossings which Sudan unilaterally closed at the beginning of this year.

Altaghyeer’s sources reported that authorities in Kassala State (Eastern Sudan) formally addressed their counterparts in AlGash-Baraka Region requesting the opening of border crossing points last week, but the latter denied the request without further explanation.

Relations were strained dramatically by an announcement of a state of emergency in Kassala State last December following a media campaign mounted by Sudanese officials and some media outlets advancing stories about the existence of Egyptian troops in Eritrea with the intention of attacking Sudan, a claim denied by both Egypt and Eritrea.

On the other hand, relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea witnessed rapid changes and unprecedented developments after the signing of a peace truce and an exchange of visits between the presidents of the two countries, in addition to the planned opening of embassies and ports, which could be viewed as a threat to the once close relationship between Ethiopia and Sudan in dealing with Asmara since 2000.

The Sudanese media reported limited military engagements and battles along the Sudanese-Ethiopian border a few weeks ago.

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