Ethiopia says seized ammunition sent by Eritrea to rebels as tensions risePrime Minister Abiy Ahmed raised tensions with Eritrea by saying landlocked Ethiopia needed access to the seaHopes of tentative peace, forged during a 2020-22 civil war in northern Ethiopia, have of late given way to a war of words over control of the Red Sea. Ethiopian police say they have seized thousands of rounds of ammunition sent by Eritrea to a violent armed rebel group, stoking fears of renewed armed conflict. Escalating war of words between Ethiopia and Eritrea triggers fears of conflictOn Wednesday, Ethiopian police said in a Facebook statement that they had seized "more than 56,000 rounds of ammunition" in the Amhara region intended to "arm the Fano" rebels, and had arrested two suspects. Ethiopia's calls for access to the Red Sea through Eritrea have caused relations with Eritrea to further strrain in recent months. Abiy has said Ethiopia does not seek conflict with Eritrea and wants to address the issue of sea access through dialogue.

Source: Ethiopian News January 15, 2026 18:27 UTC