Ethiopia: Explosives on way to Addis Ababa seized

By Addis Getachew

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AA) - Explosives stashed in 23 cartons were seized from a vehicle en route to Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa from the country's northernmost region of Tigray on Wednesday.

According to local broadcaster FANA, the vehicle carrying the explosives departed restive Tigray's regional capital Mekele.

The driver of the vehicle is taken to Kombolcha town from the Woldiya customs checkpoint in the Amhara region where the explosives were intercepted.

On Nov. 28, 2020, Ethiopia's prime minister declared law enforcement operations in Tigray over after fall of Mekele, a city of half a million people.

The government launched the law enforcement operations in Tigray on Nov. 4 after the now outlawed Tigray People's Liberation Front attacked the federal army command stationed in Tigray, killing soldiers and looting military hardware.

The seizure of south-bound explosives means the TPLF operatives are still on the move to destabilize the Horn of Africa country.