Rhino: Follow-up – The Ethiopian Ministry of Defense announced the surrender of 27 militants belonging to the 13th and 70th Brigades of the Tigray Defense Forces, after they left their positions inside Sudanese territory and crossed the border into Ethiopia, where they surrendered to Ethiopian army forces in the Al-Karmak border area in the Beni Shangul-Gumuz region.

On Friday, Ethiopian media reported, citing a statement from the Ethiopian Army’s Western Command, that the militants crossed from Sudanese territory and arrived at a refugee camp before being transported by truck to the Al-Kurmuk area, where they surrendered to forces of the Ethiopian Army’s Renaissance Corps.
Military Orders to Take Control of Assosa

According to the Ethiopian statement, the militants who surrendered reported that they had been tasked with carrying out military operations against forces operating from the Sudanese side, with the aim of taking control of the city of Assosa, the capital of Ethiopia’s Beni Shangul-Gumuz Region.

The Ethiopian account added that the group had been promised military assignments in the Al-Hamra region in exchange for payments in U.S. dollars following the execution of those operations.

The statement did not disclose the entity that issued these orders, nor the identity of the parties that promised to provide financial and military support; nor did it provide details regarding the nature of the targeted forces or the timeline for the alleged operation.

Clashes and Casualties During the Movement

The statement noted that the militants came under attack while on the move, resulting in casualties among their ranks, before they were able to withdraw and head to Ethiopian army positions to surrender.

It noted that members of the group expressed relief after reaching Ethiopian forces, without providing further details regarding the nature of the attack or the extent of the casualties it caused.

Al-Kurmuk and the Sudanese-Ethiopian Border… Complex Security Considerations

The Ethiopian announcement comes amid escalating security and military tensions along the border between Sudan and Ethiopia, particularly in the Blue Nile region and the Beni Shangul-Gumuz region, where military movements intersect with the complexities of the Sudanese conflict and its regional repercussions.

Al-Kurmuk area holds strategic importance given its border location, its proximity to areas where Sudanese armed forces and allied armed groups are deployed, as well as its connection to movement and communication corridors between the border regions of both countries.

The city of Assosa, as the capital of the Beni Shangul-Gumuz Region, also features prominently in Ethiopian security calculations, particularly amid growing concerns that the repercussions of the Sudanese war could spill over into Ethiopian territory.

Questions Regarding the Nature of the Military Presence Inside Sudan

The Ethiopian announcement raises questions about the nature of the deployment of elements from the 13th and 70th Brigades within Sudanese territory, the entities that were managing their movements, and the military objectives they were supposed to carry out across the border.

Furthermore, reports that the group was tasked with moving toward Assosa in exchange for promises of payment in U.S. dollars raise questions about the existence of cross-border networks for recruitment, financing, and military coordination.