African Union to send mission

The African Union is to send a mission to Sudan and Eritrea to try and defuse tension between the two countries. A statement released on 11 October urged the authorities of both countries to cooperate with the AU delegation and "appealed urgently" to their leaders to "exercise restraint and refrain from all acts that would heighten the tension" between them. It expressed "grave concern" about relations between the two countries over the last few days, and about "the threats of the situation to peace and security in the region". The decision to send the delegation was taken by the AU's Conflict Resolution body following a meeting in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, on Friday. Tension has been increasing between Sudan and Eritrea after Khartoum accused Asmara of involvement in recent rebel attacks in eastern Sudan. Eritrea has strongly denied the accusations.