Ethiopian police have seized more than 50,000 rounds of ammunition sent by Eritrea to arm rebels in the country amid increasingly tense relations between the two Horn of Africa nations. In October, Ethiopia accused its neighbour of attempting to destabilise the country by financing armed groups, particularly in the Amhara region. The ammunition, transported in a lorry, was sent by Eritrea and transited through the northern region of Tigray with the assistance of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), police said. Abiy initially sought rapprochement with Eritrea when he came to power, earning him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019. The two governments cooperated against the Tigrayans during the 2020-2022 war, but fell out over the peace accord, from which Eritrea was excluded.

Source: Ethiopian News January 15, 2026 15:52 UTC