Sudan must withdraw its troops from a disputed territory with Ethiopia before any peace talks could begin, a spokesperson of the Foreign Affairs ministry in Addis Ababa has reiterated.In his weekly press conference on Tuesday, Dina Mufti said Ethiopia’s position with regard to border dispute with Sudan remains unchanged and it wants the return to the previous status quo before any negotiation takes place.

Sudan must abide by the latest agreement it signed with Ethiopia that prohibits either side to violate the status quo until a demarcation agreement is reached, Dina said.

Addis Ababa claimed that Sudanese troops on November 6, 2020 crossed 40 kilometers (25 miles) deep into Ethiopian territory including the Al Fashaga triangle – a fertile region bordering the two countries.

Addis Ababa has accused Khartoum of taking advantage of the conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray to “practically invade” its territory.