Explosions Heard in Addis Ababa as Ethiopia’s Northern Conflict Widens

Explosions were heard overnight in Addis Ababa, raising concern that Ethiopia’s renewed conflict in the north could be reaching the capital.

Three diplomatic sources told Reuters that blasts were heard in the city. A source linked to an armed opposition alliance told Reuters that the alliance had carried out drone strikes in Addis Ababa, including attacks on military positions. Reuters said it could not independently verify that claim.

Ethiopian authorities had announced a ban on drone flights over Addis Ababa and surrounding areas for security reasons. Government, military and prime minister’s office spokespeople did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment, according to the news agency.

An Ethiopian intelligence official separately confirmed to the Associated Press that three blasts had occurred at different locations in the capital but did not provide further details. As of the latest reports, the cause of the explosions, any damage and whether there were casualties had not been independently established.

Fighting in northern Ethiopia intensifies

The explosions came as federal forces and armed opposition groups clashed in northern Ethiopia. The fighting involves the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and a broader alliance that includes several armed groups from different regions, according to reporting by Reuters and Al Jazeera.

The alliance has said it opposes the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The parties have given conflicting accounts of the fighting, and claims about battlefield developments have not all been independently verified.

The renewed violence threatens the peace agreement that ended the 2020–2022 war in Tigray. That conflict caused extensive civilian suffering and displacement. Recent fighting has again raised concerns about civilians’ safety, access to essential services and the possibility that the conflict could spread beyond the north.

Diplomatic tensions rise

The security concerns have coincided with a sharp deterioration in Ethiopia’s relations with Eritrea. Ethiopia ordered 10 Eritrean diplomats to leave and closed its embassy in Asmara, accusing Eritrea of involvement in activities that threatened national security. Eritrea denied the accusations and said it would sever diplomatic ties with Ethiopia, the Associated Press reported.

The African Union Commission has urged Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt to exercise restraint and avoid actions or statements that could further threaten regional stability.

The reported explosions mark a serious development, but important details remain unclear. BBNN has not independently confirmed that drones caused the blasts, that the opposition alliance carried out attacks in Addis Ababa, or that military headquarters were struck.

BBNN will update this report as authorities and credible sources release verified information.