Explosions heard in Ethiopia's capital as opposition claims drone strikes

Explosions were heard overnight in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa, three diplomatic sources told Reuters on Thursday, raising fears that renewed conflict in the country’s north could be spreading to the capital.

A source linked to the opposition alliance fighting federal forces in northern Ethiopia since last week said the alliance had carried out several drone strikes in Addis Ababa, including some targeting the military’s headquarters, Reuters reported.

Reuters said it could not independently verify the claim and that there was no damage visible near the military base, according to witnesses. If confirmed, the strikes would be the first known drone attack by anti-government forces on the Ethiopian capital, hundreds of kilometres from the front lines in Tigray, Amhara and Afar.

Spokespeople for Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s office, the federal government and the Ethiopian National Defence Force did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The national intelligence service had announced on Wednesday that it was banning all drone flights over Addis Ababa and its surroundings for an indefinite period for security reasons.

Last week’s clashes in northern Ethiopia were the biggest escalation of violence in the country since the end of a 2020-2022 civil war. Opposition forces had not previously been known to use armed drones, although a pro-government militia said on Tuesday it had captured drone frames and batteries from forces linked to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, one of the alliance’s main members — a claim Reuters could not independently verify.