Ethiopia Expels Eritrean Diplomats After Drone Strikes in Addis Ababa

The Government of Ethiopia expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats and closed its embassy in Asmara on Wednesday, accusing Eritrea of financing rebels and engaging in acts of belligerence. The diplomatic rupture follows three explosions in Addis Ababa that targeted military headquarters. While an intelligence official initially remained unclear if the blasts were attacks or training exercises, the Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Alliance for Survival—a coalition of seven armed groups including the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF)—claimed responsibility for the drone strikes in an effort to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed from power.

In response to the security threat, the Ethiopian National Intelligence Service banned all drone flights over the capital and surrounding areas indefinitely. Simultaneously, fighting has intensified in northern Ethiopia, shattering a 2022 peace agreement. The TPLF has seized several towns and the main airport in the Tigray region, disrupting essential services in Mekelle. Federal forces have since launched a counteroffensive, advancing within 40 kilometers of Mekelle, while clashes continue in the Afar region over the towns of Erebti and Abaala.

Ethiopian officials characterized the expulsion of diplomats as a response to activities that violated the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Ahmed Hussein, the deputy governor of Afar, claimed the attacks sought to undermine regional administration and install figures loyal to Eritrea. While the United Nations has called for de-escalation and dialogue, the conflict has displaced thousands of civilians and raised risks of wider instability involving Sudan and Djibouti.