Sudan Recalls Envoy as Ethiopia Accusations Escalate

Sudan and Ethiopia escalated a diplomatic dispute this week, with Khartoum recalling its ambassador after alleging drone attacks from Ethiopian territory and Addis Ababa rejecting the charge as baseless. The accusations, reported by The Japan Times and Japan Today, come as Sudan's civil war and Ethiopia's internal conflicts increasingly overlap.

Key developments

• Sudan said it was recalling its ambassador to Addis Ababa for consultation after drone strikes, including one that targeted Khartoum airport on Monday, May 4. Army spokesperson Assim Awad alleged drones were launched from Ethiopia in coordination with the United Arab Emirates, which has repeatedly denied backing Sudan's Rapid Support Forces.

• Sudanese officials said drones launched from Ethiopia's Bahir Dar airport area struck army positions on March 1 and March 17, and later hit sites in Khartoum. Ethiopia's foreign ministry rejected Sudan's allegations and accused Sudan's army of supporting Tigray People's Liberation Front-linked fighters along Ethiopia's western frontier.

• A senior TPLF official, Amanuel Assefa, denied links with Sudanese authorities, according to the AFP-sourced reports carried by Japan Today and The Japan Times. The exchange marks a sharper public phase in accusations that had already surfaced in March, when Sudan's military first claimed drones had been launched from Ethiopian territory.

• Drone attacks continue to widen Sudan's conflict beyond front lines. AFP reported a strike on a fuel station in Kosti, White Nile state, killed three civilians and wounded two, while recent attacks around Omdurman and Jebel Awliya damaged civilian areas and infrastructure.

What to watch

The immediate unresolved question is whether Sudan releases evidence that can be independently assessed, including the drone data it says links Ethiopia and the UAE to the strikes. Ethiopia's denial leaves the dispute in a dangerous diplomatic space unless regional mediators or outside governments press both sides to de-escalate.

The next developments are likely to come from three fronts: Sudan's handling of its recalled ambassador, any new statements from Ethiopia or the UAE, and further attacks around Khartoum, Kordofan, White Nile and Blue Nile. Continued strikes on airports, fuel sites or public infrastructure would deepen concerns that Sudan's war is becoming more fragmented and more regional.

Sources

• The Japan Times: Ethiopia and Sudan accuse each other of attacks
• Japan Today: Ethiopia and Sudan accuse each other of attacks