Ethiopia says it has seized 'over 56,000 rounds of ammunition' from a neighbouring nation

Ethiopian police say they have seized more than 56,000 rounds of ammunition, which Addisa Ababa claims to have been sent from a neighbouring nation.

Ethiopian police said in a Facebook statement on Wednesday that they had seized "more than 56,000 rounds of ammunition" in Amhara, intended to "arm" a militant group in the country.

According to Ethiopian police, the ammunition was transported in a lorry from Eritrea, and transited through the northern region of Tigray with the assistance of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).

Eritrea rejects allegations

Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Ghebremeskel told AFP that Ethiopia "was floating false flags."

The TPLF also denied the allegations, terming them "unfounded."

Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993. They fought a border war from 1998 to 2000.

Abiy initially sought rapprochement with Eritrea when he came to power, earning him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019.

Tense relations

The two governments cooperated against the Tigray armed groups during the 2020-2022 war, but fell out over the peace accord, from which Eritrea was excluded.

Relations have again soured in recent months.

In an interview with state television on Monday, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki described Ethiopia's actions as tension-inducing.

Ethiopia had, in October 2025, claimed that Eritrea was attempting to destabilise it by backing armed groups, particularly in the Amhara region. Eritrea said the claims were a "sham."