Eritrea severs diplomatic ties with Ethiopia as blasts rock Addis Ababa

Eritrea has severed diplomatic ties with Ethiopia, marking a dramatic collapse in relations as heavy fighting rages in northern Ethiopia and explosions rock the capital, Addis Ababa.

The diplomatic rupture on Thursday followed Ethiopia's decision to close its embassy in Asmara and expel 10 Eritrean diplomats, whom it accused of activities threatening national security. Hours before the diplomatic split, powerful explosions shook Addis Ababa, targeting the military's headquarters just a day after the government banned all drone flights over the capital.

What happened in Addis Ababa?

Residents and diplomatic sources reported hearing powerful blasts between midnight and 1:00 am local time on Thursday. One explosion struck the Ethiopian National Defence Force headquarters in the western Tor Hayloch area, while another was heard near a security services base in the southern Gotera neighbourhood.

While the government has not officially commented on the cause or casualties, a source linked to northern rebel forces told the Reuters news agency they had carried out drone strikes.

The blasts came immediately after Ethiopia's National Intelligence and Security Service imposed an indefinite ban on all drone flights over Addis Ababa. The conflict monitor ACLED had reported that anti-government forces used drones earlier in the week to target airports in the Oromia and Amhara regions.

Why are Ethiopia and Eritrea falling out?

Relations between the two countries, which fought together against Tigrayan forces during the 2020–2022 civil war, have broken down completely. The friction is driven by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s public ambitions to secure direct access to a Red Sea port, such as Assab in Eritrea, which Ethiopia lost access to when Eritrea seceded in 1993. Abiy has previously hinted that Ethiopia could take a port by force.

The diplomatic breakdown happened as Abiy accuses Eritrea of backing a newly formed alliance of seven armed rebel groups, including the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Amhara Fano militia.

Eritrea’s Information Minister, Yemane Gebremeskel, denied the allegations, accusing Abiy’s ruling Prosperity Party of trying to find "external scapegoats" for the internal conflicts fracturing Ethiopia.

Renewed civil war fears in Tigray

The violence in the north, which flared up on September 23, threatens to pull Ethiopia back into a full-scale civil war. The previous two-year conflict ended in 2022 after costing an estimated 600,000 lives.

Heavy fighting is now reported across Tigray, Afar, and Amhara. The medical charity Doctors Without Borders said it has treated more than 720 wounded people at hospitals in Korem, Alamata, and Shire, while humanitarian groups estimate tens of thousands of people have fled the Afar region.

Gujarat captives freed

Affected by separate domestic security concerns, three Indian nationals from Gujarat who were being held captive in Ethiopia have been released.

Rutvik Jansari, Mamta Chavda, and Mayuri, all from Mehsana and Gandhinagar, had travelled to Ethiopia as part of an illegal migration route to the United States. They were abducted by captors who demanded a ransom of 1 crore rupees, having already taken 60 lakh rupees from their families.

Gujarat police confirmed they negotiated the trio's release by convincing the captors that the families had no more money to give. No further ransom was paid, and the three arrived safely at Mumbai airport on Thursday.