Ethiopia army HQ explosions likely from drones, diplomat says

A strike by small drones was the most likely cause of explosions at the Ethiopian army headquarters and a military base in Addis Ababa this week, a diplomatic source in the city told AFP on Friday.

The source said AFP had not obtained imagery or independent confirmation. The devices were likely First-Person View drones, described by the source as commercial drones fitted with an explosive charge.

An explosion was reported at the Ministry of Defence headquarters, which houses the Ethiopian National Defence Force headquarters, on the night of Wednesday to Thursday. The source said an army base in the capital was hit around the same time. Residents and workers near the army headquarters in the Tor Hayloch area also reported the explosions to AFP.

The Ethiopian government and army have refused to comment on the reported strikes in the capital.

Fighting erupted last week in northern Ethiopia after the rebel Tigray People's Liberation Front launched attacks against federal forces, raising fears of a return to the civil war of 2020-2022.

The conflict monitor ACLED said rebel forces had used drones against airbases and airports elsewhere in Ethiopia, including three attacks last Sunday in Oromia and Amhara states. The Critical Threats Project, part of the American Enterprise Institute, said Friday that rebel forces had launched a drone strike campaign across Ethiopia, including Addis Ababa, to stretch Ethiopian forces and show an ability to expand the conflict.