Explosions have been reported overnight in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa, in the wake of renewed fighting in the country’s north.
Residents and diplomatic sources stated that explosions were heard in various parts of the city, including in the vicinity of military and security installations. One explosion was reported in the Gotera area in southern Addis Ababa, in the early hours of this morning (00:30 local time).A resident said the explosion was powerful enough to trigger car alarms.
Another resident, in the western suburb of Torhayloch, near the military headquarters, said he and a friend heard an explosion while playing games. The reports came hours after authorities banned drone flights over Addis Ababa. There were no immediate official statements in response to this story indicating what caused the explosions, where precisely in Addis Ababa they took place, or if there were any casualties.
Ethiopia’s prime minister’s office, defence ministry, and federal and Addis Ababa police have yet to react to requests for comment. A source associated with opposition fighters told Reuters that the group was responsible for what they described drone strikes. The explosions were reported around a week after fighting broke out in northern Ethiopia between government forces and an alliance of armed groups.
Among the groups in the alliance is the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, or TPLF, and an Amhara militia called Fano. Seven armed movements made up the alliance last month. They stated their objective was to remove the government in Addis Ababa from power.
The latest clashes have sparked fears that there may be renewed conflict in Tigray. The TPLF and Ethiopian government have accused each other of violating a 2022 peace agreement, ended a two-year civil war. The African Union has estimated that about 600,000 people died during that conflict.
There are differing views as to who instigated the latest fighting. The TPLF says it responded to a federal offensive, including drone strikes. The government says Tigrayan forces attacked first after seizing control of airports in the region. It was unable to independently verify developments in Tigray and surrounding areas, as a result of restricted access and disrupted communications.
A medic in the southern Tigrayan town of Alamata said 52 civilians had died in three days of heavy fighting. Fighting has also broken out in neighbouring Afar and Amhara regions. The government has accused Eritrea of backing the armed groups. A pro-government militia commander told the BBC that Eritrean soldiers were fighting alongside the groups in Tigray.
