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Sudan–Ethiopia diplomatic expulsions and consulate closures

Ethiopia and Sudan have closed each other's border consulates and expelled diplomatic staff, with Ethiopia shutting Sudan's Assosa consulate and ordering six diplomats out within 48 hours, and Sudan closing Ethiopia's Gedaref consulate.

Updated 13:22 UTC, 5 November 2026 · 3 reports from 3 outlets · 3 confirmed · 18 one-source

Top reportSudan and Ethiopia expel diplomats – mediaRT · State media ·

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Image from RT: Sudan and Ethiopia expel diplomats – media

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Written by AI only from the receipts on this page; each number links to the claim that line rests on.

What changed

Last 48 hours, newest first (times UTC)

  1. Where it stands Ethiopia and Sudan have closed each other's border consulates and expelled diplomatic staff, with Ethiopia shutting Sudan's Assosa consulate and ordering six diplomats out within 48 hours, and Sudan closing Ethiopia's Gedaref consulate. 2 hrs ago
  2. New claim Ethiopia's Foreign Ministry denied supporting the RSF or allowing drone attacks from its territory. 2 hrs ago
  3. New claim The alleged strikes killed or wounded 484 civilians and killed 176 soldiers. 2 hrs ago
  4. New claim Sudan's Transitional Sovereignty Council alleged 70 attacks between February 15 and October 27 involved 187 one-way attack drones launched from Ethiopia. 2 hrs ago
  5. New claim Sudan's Foreign Ministry called the use of Ethiopian territory by the RSF to target Sudan a hostile act. 2 hrs ago
  6. New claim Sudan's Foreign Ministry said it lodged complaints with the UN Security Council and the African Union's Peace and Security Council. 2 hrs ago
  7. New claim Amjad Farid says Sudan is making every possible effort to avoid an open war with Ethiopia. 2 hrs ago
  8. New claim Ethiopia accuses Sudan of supporting rebels in its northern Tigray region. 2 hrs ago
  9. New claim Sudan's government said it filed a complaint with the UN Security Council and the African Union's Peace and Security Council accusing Ethiopia of allowing the RSF to launch suicide drone attacks from its territory. 2 hrs ago
  10. New claim Ethiopia denies backing the Rapid Support Forces. 2 hrs ago
13 earlier changes
  1. New claim Sudan accuses Ethiopia of supporting the Rapid Support Forces. 2 hrs ago
  2. New claim Sudan closed Ethiopia's consulate in Gedaref and expelled its diplomatic staff. (confirmed by 2 outlets) 2 hrs ago
  3. New claim Ethiopia shut the Sudanese consulate in Assosa and ordered its six diplomats to leave within 48 hours. (confirmed by 2 outlets) 2 hrs ago
  4. New claim Ethiopia and Sudan have closed each other's consulates near their shared border and expelled diplomatic staff. (confirmed by 2 outlets) 2 hrs ago
  5. New claim Eritrea severed diplomatic ties with Ethiopia 2 hrs ago
  6. New claim Ethiopia expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats on October 1 2 hrs ago
  7. New claim Sudan denies backing rebels linked to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front 2 hrs ago
  8. New claim Ethiopia denies supporting the RSF in Sudan’s civil war 2 hrs ago
  9. New claim Amjad Farid: The Sudanese government remains committed to its right to defend its territory 2 hrs ago
  10. New claim Sudan lodged a complaint against Ethiopia with the United Nations Security Council 2 hrs ago
  11. New claim Sudan accused the Rapid Support Forces of using Ethiopian territory to launch drone attacks on civilian infrastructure 2 hrs ago
  12. New claim Ethiopia has ordered six Sudanese diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours 2 hrs ago
  13. Story opened Sudan and Ethiopia have ordered tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions and shut border consulates amid escalating tensions over claims of rebel support. 2 hrs ago

How it’s being told

One card per media bloc, with each outlet’s framing written from its own headlines.

Russian state media

RTState media

  • RT foregrounds Sudan's accusations that Ethiopia allowed 'the terrorist militia (RSF)' to launch drone strikes, centring Sudanese casualty figures and UN complaints while noting Ethiopia's denial, and leaves.

Middle East state media

Al JazeeraState mediaTRT WorldState media

  • Al Jazeera frames the expulsions as 'tit-for-tat' and foregrounds the wider regional context, centring Ethiopian accusations against Sudan's military and Sudanese denials while quoting Khartoum's adviser on avoiding.
  • TRT World foregrounds the mutual accusations of rebel support, centring Sudan's UN complaint and its official's claim of wanting to 'avoid an open war with Ethiopia', while giving.

In their words

What the people at the centre of this story said, word for word, with the article each quote appeared in.

The Sudanese government remains committed to its right to defend its territory. Nevertheless, it is making every possible effort to avoid an open war with Ethiopia

Amjad FaridTRT WorldReceipt

Receipts

Every claim with the verbatim sentence it came from. Tap a claim to see its sources.

Confirmed 3

Reported by at least two independent outlets, or by the actor itself.

Sudan closed Ethiopia's consulate in Gedaref and expelled its diplomatic staff. Confirmed by 2RT, TRT World · #
Ethiopia shut the Sudanese consulate in Assosa and ordered its six diplomats to leave within 48 hours. Confirmed by 2RT, TRT World · #
Ethiopia and Sudan have closed each other's consulates near their shared border and expelled diplomatic staff. Confirmed by 2RT, TRT World · #
  • “Sudan and Ethiopia have closed each other’s consulates and expelled diplomatic staff amid accusations that the neighboring countries are supporting armed groups fighting their respective governments.”

    RTState mediaReportsSudan and Ethiopia expel diplomats – media

  • “Ethiopia and Sudan have closed each other's consulates near their shared border and expelled diplomatic staff, marking a fresh deterioration in relations amid accusations that both countries are supporting armed groups fighting their respective governments.”

    TRT WorldState mediaReportsEthiopia and Sudan shut border consulates as tensions escalate over rebel support claims

One source 18

Only one outlet so far. Shown, never hidden — treat with care.

Ethiopia's Foreign Ministry denied supporting the RSF or allowing drone attacks from its territory. One source: RTRT · #
The alleged strikes killed or wounded 484 civilians and killed 176 soldiers. One source: RTRT · #
  • “It said the strikes killed or wounded 484 civilians and killed 176 soldiers, targeting hospitals, residential areas and electricity and fuel facilities.”

    RTState mediaAttributesSudan and Ethiopia expel diplomats – media

Sudan's Transitional Sovereignty Council alleged 70 attacks between February 15 and October 27 involved 187 one-way attack drones launched from Ethiopia. One source: RTRT · #
  • “A report released by Sudan’s army-led Transitional Sovereignty Council alleged that 70 attacks between February 15 and October 27 involved 187 one-way attack drones launched from Ethiopia.”

    RTState mediaAttributesSudan and Ethiopia expel diplomats – media

Sudan's Foreign Ministry called the use of Ethiopian territory by the RSF to target Sudan a hostile act. One source: RTRT · #
  • ““The use of Ethiopian territory by the terrorist militia (RSF) to target Sudanese territory is considered a hostile act,” Sudan’s Foreign Ministry said.”

    RTState mediaAttributesSudan and Ethiopia expel diplomats – media

Sudan's Foreign Ministry said it lodged complaints with the UN Security Council and the African Union's Peace and Security Council. One source: RTRT · #
  • “On Sunday, the Sudanese Foreign Ministry said it had lodged complaints with the UN Security Council and the African Union’s Peace and Security Council, accusing Ethiopia of allowing the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to launch drone attacks from its territory.”

    RTState mediaAttributesSudan and Ethiopia expel diplomats – media

Amjad Farid says Sudan is making every possible effort to avoid an open war with Ethiopia. One source: TRT WorldTRT World · #
Ethiopia accuses Sudan of supporting rebels in its northern Tigray region. One source: TRT WorldTRT World · #
Sudan's government said it filed a complaint with the UN Security Council and the African Union's Peace and Security Council accusing Ethiopia of allowing the RSF to launch suicide drone attacks from its territory. One source: TRT WorldTRT World · #
Ethiopia denies backing the Rapid Support Forces. One source: TRT WorldTRT World · #
Sudan accuses Ethiopia of supporting the Rapid Support Forces. One source: TRT WorldTRT World · #
Eritrea severed diplomatic ties with Ethiopia One source: Al JazeeraAl Jazeera · #
Ethiopia expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats on October 1 One source: Al JazeeraAl Jazeera · #
Sudan denies backing rebels linked to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front One source: Al JazeeraAl Jazeera · #
Ethiopia denies supporting the RSF in Sudan’s civil war One source: Al JazeeraAl Jazeera · #
Amjad Farid: The Sudanese government remains committed to its right to defend its territory One source: Al JazeeraAl Jazeera · #
  • ““The Sudanese government remains committed to its right to defend its territory. Nevertheless, it is making ⁠every possible effort to avoid an open war with Ethiopia,” Amjad Farid, political and foreign affairs adviser for Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council, said.”

    Al JazeeraState mediaReportsSudan, Ethiopia order tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions

Sudan lodged a complaint against Ethiopia with the United Nations Security Council One source: Al JazeeraAl Jazeera · #
  • “On Sunday, ⁠Sudan lodged a complaint against Ethiopia with both the United Nations Security Council and the African Union’s Peace and Security Council, accusing Ethiopia of allowing the RSF to use its territory to launch deadly drone attacks against civilian infrastructure in Sudan.”

    Al JazeeraState mediaReportsSudan, Ethiopia order tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions

Sudan accused the Rapid Support Forces of using Ethiopian territory to launch drone attacks on civilian infrastructure One source: Al JazeeraAl Jazeera · #
Ethiopia has ordered six Sudanese diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours One source: Al JazeeraAl Jazeera · #
  • “Ethiopia has ordered six Sudanese diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours and closed Sudan’s consulate in the border town of Asosa, according to Ethiopian and Sudanese officials.”

    Al JazeeraState mediaReportsSudan, Ethiopia order tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions

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Watch

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Reports: Sudan, Ethiopia Shut Each Other’s Consulates in Tit-for-Tat Move | WION Shorts

WION ·

Sudan accuses Ethiopia of allowing RSF drone launches from its territory

France 24 ·

Sudan accuses Ethiopia of allowing RSF drone launches from its territory • FRANCE 24 English

France 24 ·

Ghost edits

Changes outlets made to their articles after publishing, caught by re-reading them.

  • Al JazeeraSubstantive edit

    BeforeSudan, Ethiopia order tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions

    AfterEthiopia expels 6 Sudan diplomats, orders closure of consulate, reports say

    Numbers changed: 6; Names/words changed: Addis Ababa, Khartoum, Asosa, Tigray People’s Liberation Front, April 2023.

    RemovedEthiopia has ordered six Sudanese diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours and closed Sudan’s consulate in the border town of Asosa, according to Ethiopian and Sudanese officials.

    AddedEthiopia has ordered six Sudanese diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours and closed Sudan’s consulate in the border town of Asosa, according to media reports.

    Read the article as it stands now

All sources

3 reports from 3 outlets — with who owns each outlet and who pays for it.

RT State media

RussiaOwner: ANO TV-NovostiPaid by: Russian federal budget

Al Jazeera State media

QatarOwner: Al Jazeera Media NetworkPaid by: funded by the State of Qatar

TRT World State media

TürkiyeOwner: Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT)Paid by: Turkish state budget + advertising

Not covered yet by

Associated PressBBCCGTNCNADWEuronewsFinancial TimesForeign PolicyFox NewsFrance 24NPRReutersSky NewsSouth China Morning PostSputnikTASSThe GuardianThe New York TimesThe Times of IndiaWION

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From the Faultline desk

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Read the AI explainer

3 confirmed · 18 one-source3 outletsUpdated