Overview
- Diplomatic and security sources reported explosions across Addis Ababa overnight on Thursday and a source linked to an opposition alliance claimed drone strikes on the capital that remain unverified.
- Ethiopia’s National Intelligence and Security Service has ordered an indefinite ban on all drone flights over Addis Ababa after the reported blasts.
- Addis Ababa declared 10 Eritrean diplomats persona non grata and said it would close its embassy in Asmara; Eritrea responded by severing diplomatic relations.
- Heavy fighting that began late last week in northern Ethiopia has expanded into Afar and Amhara, producing hundreds of wounded, tens of thousands displaced and severe communications outages that limit independent verification.
- Key claims about drone use and foreign backing are contested and unconfirmed, raising the prospect of wider regional involvement and further disruption to routes such as the Djibouti corridor that sustain trade and aid.