Addis Ababa Heavily Alarmed as Explosions Follow Drone Ban

Thu Oct 01 2026 23:07:58 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Explosions were heard in Addis Ababa overnight after the government banned drone flights, raising concerns amid escalating tensions with rebel groups in the north.

In the early hours of October 1, residents of Addis Ababa reported multiple explosions, one near the military headquarters and another in the city’s south. The blasts came only hours after the Ethiopian government imposed a blanket ban on all drone activity over the capital. Opposition sources claim they were responsible for drone strikes, adding a new layer of threat to an already volatile security climate. No official confirmation of casualties or damage has been issued, and key ministries have yet to comment. The incident underscores the fragile security environment in Addis Ababa amid the ongoing confrontation between the army and a coalition of armed fronts from the Tigray region.

Explosions were heard overnight in Ethiopia’s capital, some in the area of the military headquarters in the west and another in the south of the city, residents and diplomatic sources say.

The blasts came hours after drone flights were banned over Addis Ababa and a week after fighting erupted in the north between the army and a newly launched alliance of armed groups including forces from the Tigray region.

A source linked to the opposition fighters told Reuters that they were behind what they said were drone strikes. "It was very loud. It was strong enough to set off car alarms," a resident in a southern area of the city, near the base of the secret service, told BBC Amharic. He estimated that he heard the explosion in the Gotera neighbourhood around 00:30 local time (21:30 GMT).

Another resident told the BBC that he and his friends were playing games when they heard an explosion. He lives in the western suburb of Torhayloch, a neighbourhood close to the military headquarters.

There were no official reports confirming the cause of the explosions, the exact locations affected or whether there were any casualties or damage.

The office of Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the defence ministry as well as the federal and Addis Ababa police have not responded to BBC requests for comment.