Khartoum, Jun 28 (IANS): Sudan has decided to file a formal complaint to the UN Security Council (UNSC) against Ethiopia over "the killing of seven Sudanese soldiers and a citizen held as captives".

The Foreign Ministry here also decided to immediately recall its ambassador to Ethiopia for consultations, and to summon the Ambassador in Khartoum to inform him of Sudan's condemnation, reports Xinhua news agency.

In a statement, the Ministry said it condemns "in the strongest terms the heinous crime committed by the Ethiopian army, which violates all principles of international humanitarian law, by killing seven Sudanese soldiers and a civilian after they were kidnapped from inside the Sudanese territory".

"The Ministry embarked on filing a formal complaint to the UN Security Council and the concerned international and regional organizations."

On Sunday, the Sudanese Armed Forces said the Ethiopian army "executed" seven soldiers and a citizen who were held captive, which Ethiopia has denied.

The Ethiopian Foreign Ministry said that the incident taking place on the "common border" with Sudan on June 22 was a "tragedy", adding it was the result of skirmishes between the army and "a local militia".

Since September 2020, the Sudan-Ethiopia border has been witnessing rising tensions and deadly skirmishes between the two sides.

Sudan has accused the Ethiopian military of backing the farmers' seizure of Sudanese lands at the disputed Fashaga district on the border.