European Union admits entry of its troops to Sudanese territories

The European Union has officially admitted that its troops operating in Chad, Eurofor, entered the Sudanese territories and opened fire on a monitoring post of the Sudanese Army at Omjaradil area in West Darfur. A statement issued by the Office of the Official Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the higher coordinator of the European Union foreign policy Javier Solana affirmed to the Sudanese Embassy in Brussels that some troops of Eurofor entered the Sudanese borders by mistake and extended apology over the incident and that the Ambassador of France in Khartoum also apologized to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The statement added that Eurofor said that its military vehicles lost their way and that they should have not cross the Sudanese borders and that they did not know the reasons that led the European soldiers to open fire on the Sudanese monitoring post and that the Eurofor would carry out an investigation in this connection.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed that admittance by Eurofor of the mistake and its apology is a step in the right direction and that Sudan would show cooperation with the concerned bodies to guarantee that such violations against its sovereignty and territorial integrity and safety of its citizens will not occur again.

The statement said that Sudan was notified by Eurofor that a European soldier was missing inside the Sudanese territories, adding that an instruction has been issued to the Sudanese military and security units in the area to intensify search for the soldier and guarantee his safety and handing him over to the concerned authorities in Khartoum to consider means of returning him to his country.