The Horn of Africa country claims the suspected rebels were on a terrorist mission.
Police say the fighters were members of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF).
ONLF, which is dominated by people from the Somali ethnic group, says it is fighting for the independence of the oil-rich Ogaden region in Ethiopia.??
According to the police, six other fighters, including two Swedish journalists, were arrested after weapons and communication equipment were found in their possession.
Police also said one of the journalists who had been arrested on similar charges in the past had been freed.
“This journalist was reporting some accusations against Ethiopia and has been freed,” police said.?
A few years ago, Ethiopia launched a military crackdown against ONLF after the rebel group killed 65 Ethiopian and nine Chinese oil workers in the Ogaden region.
Although the rebels recently claimed that they had fought against the Ethiopian army in a military operation there is yet to be an independent or official confirmation.??
The Ethiopia government has in the past granted amnesty to a number of rebel fighters and ONLF officials as part of efforts to resolve the conflict.
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