Explosions hit Addis Ababa as rebels claim drone strikes and Ethiopia plans Somalia pullout

Overnight explosions in Addis Ababa

Three diplomatic sources reported two explosions overnight in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa. One explosion occurred in the vicinity of the 4 Kilo area situated in the centre of the city. A second blast was reported near the Ethiopian National Defense Force headquarters. Following the incident, a source linked to the opposition alliance fighting federal forces in northern Ethiopia stated that the alliance carried out several drone strikes within Addis Ababa. The source asserted that the strikes specifically targeted military headquarters facilities in the capital. The claims could not be independently verified immediately after the blasts. Spokespeople representing the office of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the federal government, and the military did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the explosions.

Drone flight ban and aerial capabilities

The overnight explosions follow security restrictions enacted by Ethiopian authorities earlier in the week. On Wednesday, 30 September 2026, the national intelligence service announced an indefinite ban on all drone flights over Addis Ababa and its surrounding territory, citing security reasons. Opposition alliance forces were not previously known to possess or deploy armed unmanned aerial systems during the conflict. Indications of drone capabilities appeared on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, when a pro-government militia operating in the northern Tigray region stated that it had captured drone frames and battery packs from forces linked to the Tigray People's Liberation Front. The Tigray People's Liberation Front forms one of the main constituent groups in the anti-government opposition alliance. The militia's claims regarding the seized equipment also remained without independent verification. If verified, the overnight blasts would represent the first recorded drone attack conducted by anti-government forces on the Ethiopian capital.

Resurgence of conflict in northern Ethiopia

The explosions in the capital follow an outbreak of fighting between federal military units and opposition fighters in northern Ethiopia that began during the final week of September 2026. The clashes in the northern Tigray region represent the largest escalation of armed violence in Ethiopia since the conclusion of the 2020–2022 civil war. Unresolved political disputes between the federal administration and regional forces in Tigray resurfaced before the resumption of armed confrontations. Observers in the Horn of Africa noted concerns that renewed fighting between federal and regional forces could expand into wider instability across adjacent territory. Neither federal military representatives nor regional opposition leadership have released verified casualty figures from the northern clashes.

Planned troop withdrawal from Somalia

The expansion of domestic fighting has led the Ethiopian government to adjust its military deployments across the region. Ethiopia is preparing to withdraw thousands of soldiers stationed in neighboring Somalia to reinforce federal military positions within its own borders. More than 3,000 Ethiopian troops are expected to begin pulling out of Somalia as the administration of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed redirects armed forces toward the conflict with rebel factions. The redeployment of foreign-stationed personnel follows the need to concentrate military assets on containing opposition forces inside Ethiopia.