Explosions heard in Addis Ababa after drone flight ban — BBC News
Explosions were heard overnight in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, including in the area of the military headquarters in the west of the city and in its southern part. BBC News reported this, citing residents and diplomatic sources.
One resident of the southern part of the city, who lives near an intelligence services base, told BBC Amharic that the explosion in the Gotera area was so powerful that it set off car alarms. He estimated that it happened at around 00:30 local time. Another resident heard an explosion in the western suburb of Torgayloch, located near the military headquarters.
Statement on possible drone strikes
A source linked to opposition armed groups told Reuters that the groups were behind what it described as drone strikes. There is no official confirmation of the causes of the explosions, the exact locations affected, or information about possible deaths, injuries or destruction.
The office of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the Ministry of Defence, the federal police and Addis Ababa police did not respond to BBC requests for comment on the incident.
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Flight ban and clashes in the north
The explosions occurred hours after Ethiopia’s National Intelligence and Security Service introduced an indefinite ban on drone flights over Addis Ababa and nearby areas. The agency said it would not issue permits for the use of drones and would take legal action against those who launch them in prohibited zones. The ban was explained by the need to protect state leaders, critical infrastructure and major public events.
Clashes began last week in northern Ethiopia between the army and a new alliance of armed movements that includes forces from the Tigray region. Last month, seven armed movements, including the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and the Amhara Fano militia, formed an alliance with the stated goal of removing the government in Addis Ababa. The sides accuse each other of violating the 2022 peace agreement that ended the two-year war in Tigray.
According to the BBC, a medic in the town of Alamata in southern Tigray reported that 52 civilians were killed over three days of intense fighting. Verifying the situation in Tigray and neighbouring areas is difficult because of restricted access for journalists, as well as internet shutdowns and the outage of the region’s main telecommunications provider.
