Sudan has closed the Gallabat border crossing with Ethiopia following the seizure of the nearby Ethiopian town of Metemma by the Fano militia, according to sources speaking with Sudan Tribune.
The closure of the border, located in Sudan’s eastern Al-Qadarif state, comes amid rising tensions in Ethiopia’s Amhara region, which borders Al-Qadarif.
The region has seen frequent clashes between the Fano militia and Ethiopian government forces since the federal government signed a peace deal with Tigrayan forces in 2020.
Sources reported that Ethiopian federal police and army personnel were allowed to cross into Sudan after being disarmed. In a reciprocal move, Fano militia permitted Sudanese citizens stranded at the border to cross into Ethiopia.
The Gallabat border crossing has been a crucial route for thousands of Sudanese fleeing into Ethiopia since conflict erupted in Sudan in April between the General Burhan’s army (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The sources further revealed that Fano militia also seized control of the Ethiopian border crossing at Metemma, aiming to disrupt the supply of fuel and food to the Amhara region from Sudan.
