Blasts Heard in Addis Ababa as Ethiopia Conflict Widens in the North
Conflict in northern Ethiopia has escalated, with explosions reported in the capital Addis Ababa, as federal forces advance towards Mekelle, the capital of Tigray.
Fighting between Ethiopia's federal forces and a coalition of armed opposition groups has expanded, reaching the capital Addis Ababa. Diplomatic sources reported explosions heard overnight in Addis Ababa on Thursday. These incidents followed a ban on drone flights in the capital and surrounding areas.
A source linked to the Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Alliance for Survival claimed they carried out several drone strikes in Addis Ababa, including some targeting military headquarters. The alliance comprises seven armed groups, aiming to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government.
Highlights
- Explosions were reportedly heard in Addis Ababa overnight, with alleged drone strikes taking place.
- The conflict involves federal forces and the Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Alliance for Survival, a coalition of seven armed groups.
- Federal forces have advanced to within 40 kilometers of Mekelle, Tigray's capital, while TPLF fighters have retreated.
- Accusations of Eritrean involvement in the Afar region have resurfaced, raising risks of a wider regional war.
- Thousands of civilians have fled Mekelle fearing clashes, and electricity and internet services in the region are disrupted.
Details
The conflict has moved from the Amhara region into Afar and deeper into Tigray. Government forces have advanced to approximately 40 kilometers from Mekelle, the regional capital of Tigray. The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has pulled its fighters back to new positions, and some of its leaders, along with thousands of civilians, have moved out of Mekelle. Electricity and internet services in the region have been cut.
The federal government accuses neighboring states of backing the coalition, which these states deny. In the Afar region, government forces claim to have recaptured the towns of Erebti and Abaala, near the border with Tigray. These claims remain unconfirmed. Ahmed Hussein, Afar's deputy governor, stated that Ethiopia is under an unprecedented attack aimed at undermining the regional administration and installing figures loyal to Eritrea.
Why it matters
The escalation of conflict in Ethiopia, reaching the capital and threatening to expand regionally, intensifies instability in the country. The potential for the conflict in the Afar region to draw in Eritrea risks disrupting crucial trade routes and food security, potentially leading to a broader humanitarian crisis. This situation could have severe consequences for the overall security of the Horn of Africa.