Addis Abeba--Ethiopian Federal Police says it has seized nearly 57,000 rounds of ammunition in Woldia town, Amhara region, alleging that the consignment originated from Eritrea and was intended for armed groups operating inside Ethiopia, amid tensions between the two countries.
In a statement issued on 14 January 2026, the Federal Police said they, in coordination with other security bodies, intercepted an Isuzu freight truck at a checkpoint in Woldia and detained two suspects. The vehicle was allegedly traveling from Mekelle, in the Tigray region, toward Shewa Robit.
According to the statement, a preliminary investigation indicated that the ammunition had been secretly transported from Eritrea, received in Mekelle, and was intended for delivery to the Fano armed group operating in the Amhara region. The police further accused the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) of facilitating the transfer.
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.
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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 and the public urged to cooperate with security forces.
The allegation of Eritrean involvement comes against a backdrop of renewed diplomatic strain between Addis Abeba and Asmara. Earlier this week, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, speaking to state television, accused Ethiopia of "declaring war" on Eritrea and rejected narratives linking the tensions to Ethiopia's quest for access to the Red Sea, according to remarks aired by Eritrean state media.
Isaias further accused Ethiopia's ruling Prosperity Party of pursuing a militarized agenda and claimed that conflicts in Amhara, Tigray, Afar, Oromia, and Somalia were being fueled by external funding and arms flows. He also alleged that Ethiopia was importing drones and weapons, questioning who was financing what he described as coordinated war preparations.
However, Ethiopian officials have repeatedly denied hostile intent toward Eritrea. In October 2025, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed told parliament that Ethiopia's demand for Red Sea access was historical and legal in nature and should be addressed through peaceful dialogue, rejecting claims of an imminent military confrontation.
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The latest allegation also follows earlier accusations by Ethiopia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs linking Eritrea and the TPLF to armed activity inside the country. In a letter dated 02 October, 2025, addressed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos accused Eritrea and what he described as a hardline TPLF faction of forming a new alliance named "Tsimdo" to "wage war" against Ethiopia.
The letter alleged that the alliance was involved in a recent Fano offensive aimed at capturing Woldia town, claiming that TPLF commanders and fighters participated directly, with additional clashes reported in Raya and Welkait. The ministry said such actions violated the 2022 Pretoria Agreement, which ended the war between the federal government and the TPLF.
Describing Eritrea as "the main architect" of what it called destabilizing activities, the foreign minister accused Asmara of providing financial, material, and political support to armed groups. While stating that the Ethiopian National Defense Forces were exercising "maximum restraint," he warned that the posture was "not one of indefinite restraint."
Eritrea hasrejected the accusations. Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Ghebremeskel told AFP that Ethiopia's claims amounted to "provocative sabre-rattling," dismissing Addis Abeba's letter to the United Nations as a "deceitful charade."
