Story perspectives

Ethiopia bans drones after Addis Ababa explosions overnight

By Drooid · Oct 1, 2026, 11:00 PM UTC · How we work

Center

Drone ban imposed

Two explosions were heard overnight in Addis Ababa near the Ethiopian National Defence Force headquarters and the city’s southern area.
Federal and regional forces said they recaptured the Afar towns of Erebti and Abaala, though Reuters could not confirm.
ENDF spokesperson Biersaw Shiferaw said he would return a comment call after Bloomberg contacted him.
The government banned all drone flights over Addis Ababa and surrounding areas after the blasts.

Left

Embassy closure fallout

Two explosions were heard overnight in Addis Ababa near the Ethiopian Defence Force headquarters and the city’s south.
The blasts heightened fears, displacing thousands and disrupting services across the capital and Afar.
Hours earlier, officials banned drone flights over Addis Ababa and surrounding areas.
Ethiopia will close its Asmara embassy after expelling ten Eritrean diplomats, citing hostility.
Al Jazeera reported 80,000 Afar residents remain trapped, threatening food-security routes to Djibouti.

Blindspot

Ethiopia said it will close its embassy in Asmara after expelling ten Eritrean diplomats, accusing Eritrea of hostile actions toward Ethiopia.
Within this story's sources, this diplomatic fallout appears mainly in Left-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Center-leaning coverage.

History

Historical Context

Border clashes erupted on 6 May 1998 when Eritrean forces entered Badme, prompting Ethiopia’s parliament to declare war on 13 May and launch a two-year conflict that ended with the 2000 Algiers Agreement and a 2002 boundary commission ruling. The 1998-2000 war’s legacy underlies today’s Addis Ababa explosions and the expulsion of Eritrean diplomats.

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Drone ban imposed

Two explosions were heard overnight in Addis Ababa near the Ethiopian National Defence Force headquarters and the city’s southern area.
Federal and regional forces said they recaptured the Afar towns of Erebti and Abaala, though Reuters could not confirm.
ENDF spokesperson Biersaw Shiferaw said he would return a comment call after Bloomberg contacted him.
The government banned all drone flights over Addis Ababa and surrounding areas after the blasts.

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