KHARTOUM (Reuters) – South Sudan and Chad have condemned threats made by a top Sudanese general, warning of the risk of regional escalation.
In a speech on Sunday evening, Sudanese Assistant Deputy Commander in Chief General Yasir al-Atta, said that Chad’s airports in N’Djamena and Amdjarass were “legitimate military targets” and accused South Sudan of harbouring “traitors”.
Juba in a statement on Monday denounced the remarks as a “blatant violation of international law”, reaffirming its commitment to peace but warning it would take all necessary steps to defend its sovereignty.
Chad, in a similar statement on Sunday, said that Atta’s statement “could be interpreted as a declaration of war”, vowing a “firm and proportionate” response to any attack.
The comments come amid Sudan’s escalating accusations that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has supplied drones to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the government’s rivals in an almost two-year-old war, charges the UAE denies but that U.N. experts and U.S. lawmakers have found credible.
Sudan has claimed that some of these operations were launched from Chad.
Khartoum has taken the issue to the U.N. Security Council and International Court of Justice, accusing the UAE of complicity in genocide against the Masalit ethnic group in Darfur.
The war between Sudan’s army and the RSF, which erupted in April 2023, has displaced millions and strained relations with neighbouring countries.
Despite Chad’s and South Sudan’s efforts at mediation, Sudanese military leaders have increasingly accused them of aiding the RSF.
(Reporting by Khaled Abdelaziz in Khartoum; writing by Mohamed Ezz; additional reporting by Mahamat Ramadane in N’Djamena; Editing by Sandra Maler)
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