Ethiopian police seize illegal arms

Ethiopian police said Sunday they have seized arms which they said are supposed to be used for "terrorist" activities and violence in the country's northern Amhara state.

Zewdu Zeleke, a police officer, told journalists that 26 Kalashnikovs and other various rifles with over 200 ammunitions were intercepted in the state's Denbia town in a search out made by the police following a tip from the public.

He said the police also put under custody 26 individuals who possessed the illegal arms.

The police also intercepted fliers bent on instigating violence, Zewdu said, adding the individuals are found to be members of " opposition parties," he said.

The police are under preparation to investigate the case and bring the individuals before the court of justice, Zewdu said.

Ethiopia has seen a spate of violent demonstrations since the country's May 15 parliamentary polls. The final election results indicate that the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Party (EPRDF), which has ruled the country for the past 14 years, has won 327 seats of the 547-seat lower House of People's Representatives (HPR), enough to form the federal government.

The Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) and the United Ethiopian Democratic Force (UEDF), the country's two major opposition parties, were in second and third places with 109 and 52 seats respectively.

The two opposition parties accuse the ruling party of massive electoral fraud and last week boycotted the first session of the parliament.

Source: Xinhua