Ethiopia accused neighboring Eritrea to the north of smuggling 57,000 rounds of ammunition which was intended to be delivered to Fano armed groups in Amhara region.
Ethiopian federal police in a statement on Thursday said the ammunition was seized when it was transported in an Isuzu freight truck at a checkpoint in Woldia and detained two suspects.
The vehicle was allegedly traveling from Mekelle city, in the Tigray region, toward Shewa Robit town of Amhara region.
The police further blamed the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) of facilitating the trafficking.
Eritrea denied the allegation and rather accused Ethiopia of seeking a pretext to attack Eritrea.
The seized ammunition reportedly included 41,999 rounds of Kalashnikov ammunition, 14,000 Bren rounds, and 800 DShK rounds, which authorities said were disguised as cement and construction blocks.
The Federal Police described the arms trafficking as part of an ongoing attempt by both internal and external actors to undermine Ethiopia’s national security, asserting that similar efforts had been thwarted in the past. Investigations are ongoing, the statement said, adding that monitoring operations would be intensified.
The allegation of Eritrean involvement comes against a backdrop of renewed diplomatic strain between Addis Ababa and Asmara. Earlier this week, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, speaking to state television, accused Ethiopia of “declaring war” on Eritrea under the guise of access to the Red Sea.
Eritrea, which has a 1,350km Red Sea coastline, officially seceded from Ethiopia in 1993, leaving it landlocked.
MG/abj/APA