Ethiopian police on Thursday said they have arrested 287 individuals who were allegedly preparing for terror attacks in different parts of the country.
The suspects were accused of having links with the extremist Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF) which is currently fighting the government over political conflict in the country’s Tigray region.
TPLF and OLF Shene groups were arrested in joint operations carried out by the police and national intellligence over the past two weeks, police said in a statement.
“During the operation, police seized 1,032 guns, 131 pistols, 46, 039 rounds of ammunition, 14 bombs, a land mine, 5 GPS, 8 military binoculars, 5 handcuffs, 55 Magazines and Buttstock of AK47, 1,339 communication devices, 845, 434 local and 227,271 foreign bank notes,” the statement noted.
Moreover, military uniforms, passports, overseas work permits, bank books, pistol silencers, computers, anti-tank weapons and artillery were seized, the statement indicated.
Last week, Addis Ababa Police Commission said it seized over 700 illegally owned weapons including 18 bombs and explosives.
Police accused TPLF of deploying agents across the country in a bid to undermine national security.
MG/as/APA