In brief
Late last night, residents in Addis Ababa reported loud blasts near the military headquarters and in the Getera district. Witnesses described the sound as so powerful it triggered car alarms, while the city was under a new drone ban set to heighten security after weeks of fighting in the north. Opposition fighters claimed responsibility for the drone strikes, but the Ethiopian government has yet to confirm causes or casualties. Amid the escalating conflict, no official statement has emerged on the damage caused by the explosions.
Explosions rattled Addis Ababa late last night as residents reported loud blasts near the city’s military headquarters and in the southern Getera district, just hours after the government banned commercial drone flights.
Witnesses told BBC Amharic that the sound was “very loud, enough to set off car alarms,” with one hearing the blast at 00:30 local time.
Earlier this week, fighting erupted in northern Ethiopia between the army and a new alliance of armed groups that includes forces from Tigray. An opposition source told Reuters that it had carried out the drone strikes.
No official statement confirmed the cause of the explosions, and authorities have yet to comment on casualties or damage.
The ban on drones was implemented on Oct. 3 amid heightened security concerns in the capital.
