Tigray
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Sunday discussed the conflict in Ethiopia with his Sudanese counterpart Abdalla Hamdok, whose country borders the fighting and hosts 50,000 refugees who escaped the violence.
It was the first visit by a foreign leader since fighting broke out in Ethiopia’s Tigray region on November 4, creating a humanitarian crisis. Thousands have been killed, according to the International Crisis Group, and just over 50,000 people have fled to Sudan since Abiy ordered troops into Tigray to to confront the region’s dissident ruling party.
Abiy, winner of last year’s Nobel Peace Prize, said Hamdok expressed support for the offensive against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) during face-to-face talks.
“The Sudanese side reiterated their solidarity with the government of Ethiopia in the law enforcement operations it has been undertaking,” said a statement from Abiy’s office.
Hamdok, who is in Addis Ababa for two days, also recalled the support Abiy had extended to Sudan, it added.
Accompanied by a large security delegation, Hamdok said he looked forward to “productive discussions on political, humanitarian and security matters”.—AFP
