Eritrea has accused the Ethiopian government of fabricating reasons to justify a potential war.
The Eritrean Information Minister, Yaman Gebre Meskel, responded to Ethiopia’s allegations regarding arms seized by federal police. He stated that the Ethiopian government is seeking a pretext to initiate conflict against Eritrea, labeling the claims as false and a ruse for war.
Eritrea Denies Allegations of Arms Supply
The Ethiopian federal police recently claimed to have intercepted thousands of rounds of ammunition allegedly sent from Eritrea to armed groups operating in the Amhara region. In a statement released on January 6, 2018, they reported seizing over 56,000 rounds of ammunition.
In response, Eritrea firmly rejected these accusations, describing them as a fabricated narrative aimed at justifying military action against it. The Eritrean government insists that Ethiopia is attempting to create a false flag operation to legitimize an attack.
Ethiopia’s Claims and Eritrea’s Rebuttal
According to the Ethiopian federal police, the arms were allegedly supplied by Eritrea through the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), in collaboration with internal criminal groups and historical adversaries. Eritrea’s Minister of Information emphasized that these allegations are unfounded and serve only to escalate tensions.
Next Steps in the Ongoing Tensions
- Continued monitoring of the situation by both governments.
- Potential diplomatic engagements to de-escalate tensions.
- Public statements from both sides regarding military readiness.
Eritrea firmly denies allegations of arms supply, calling them a pretext for war.
