The Chief of Staff of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces, Berhanu Jula Saturday dismissed allegation that his military jets entered Sudanese airspace amid border tensions.
Sudanese Civil Aviation Authority Thursday announced no fly zone over El Fashaga border area in el Gedaref after allegations that Ethiopian warplane entered Sudanese airspace mid week.
The army chief said Ethiopian warplanes did not fly over the stated area and dismissed the allegation as fabricated.
In an interview with VOA Amharic Service, Berhanu said Ethiopia does not have any interest to enter into war with Sudan unless it becomes absolutely necessary.
The Chief of Staff blamed some forces within the Sudanese army for serving as agents and striving to get the hidden agenda of a third party accomplished 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 said.
General Berhanu said Sudan’s incursion into Ethiopia’s territory is not an invasion.
Had it been an invasion, the Sudanese army would have attempted to control the rest of the country, he said,
The Chief of Staff claimed Sudan’s incursion along the Ethiopian border 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.
MG/as/APA