Ethiopia and Sudan Expel Diplomats Amid Drone Attack Dispute

Ethiopia and Sudan engaged in tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions on November 4 and 5, 2026, after escalating accusations of interference in each other's internal conflicts. The rift began when Ethiopia declared six Sudanese diplomats at the consulate in Assosa persona non grata and ordered the mission closed. Sudan responded by closing the Ethiopian consulate in Gedaref and expelling its staff under the same 48-hour timeframe.

The escalation follows a report by Sudan's Transitional Sovereignty Council documenting 70 attacks launched from Ethiopian territory by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) this year. These operations included 187 one-way attack drones targeting electricity infrastructure in Al-Dabbah and Abu Hamad, resulting in nearly 500 civilian casualties. Sudan has filed formal complaints regarding these strikes with the United Nations Security Council and the African Union.

Ethiopia denies the allegations and counter-accuses the Sudanese army of supporting rebels linked to the Tigray People's Liberation Front. Ethiopia has also suggested that Egypt and Eritrea are involved in supporting Tigrayan rebels, a claim Sudan rejects. While both nations deny arming opposing factions, the diplomatic breakdown follows similar recent Ethiopian actions against diplomats from Eritrea and Egypt. Amjad Farid, a political and foreign affairs adviser for Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council, stated that the government is making efforts to avoid an open war.