According to BBC, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemarian Desalegn said this during an interview with Foreign Policy magazine.

Desalegn said Machar would only be allowed to travel through Ethiopia but would not be able to stay for long.

The development, the report said, marked a “significant shift of alliances in the region”.

Machar fled South Sudan following clashes with President Salva Kiir’s army in the capital Juba on July 8. The clashes resulted in the death of at least 300 people.

He was replaced by Taban Deng Gai.

Reports indicated that Ethiopia was not the only country, which seemed to have lost patience with Machar.

Early this week, Sudan reportedly blocked him from holding a press conference in the capital Khartoum.

Marchar had been in Khartoum since last month, with reports saying that he was there for “medical treatment”.

“Sudan has received Riek Maxchar on humaniratian grounds and so he can have medical treatment,” Sudan’s government spokesperson Ahmed Bilal was quoted as saying at the time.

Unconfirmed reports recently indicated that the rebel leader was seeking refuge in South Africa or the Democratic Republic of Congo. His close allies, however, denied the reports, saying he was not looking for asylum anywhere.

It remained unclear, however, when he would return to Juba.

News24