Ethiopia army HQ rocked by explosion as Tigray fighting intensifies

Explosions were reported in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital, during a week of renewed fighting in Tigray. Some blasts occurred near military headquarters in the west and in the south of the city, according to residents and diplomatic sources. A drone flight ban was imposed in the city earlier, while the fighting began a week after Tigray's armed groups launched an alliance.

The opposition fighters claimed responsibility for the drone strikes, stating they were loud enough to set off car alarms. A resident near the secret service base reported hearing the explosion around midnight local time, while another heard it while playing games in western suburb Torhayloch. No official reports confirmed the cause of the explosions, affected locations, or casualties.

Tensions escalated after months of disagreements over a 2022 peace deal ending a two-year civil war, which an African Union mediator estimates caused 600,000 deaths. A coalition of seven armed movements, including the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and Amhara militia Fano, recently allied to remove the government in Addis Ababa.

The TPLF alleges a federal offensive, while the government claims Tigrayan forces attacked after capturing airports in the region. The BBC cannot report from Tigray and surrounding areas, making verification of the situation challenging. Clashes have also occurred in neighboring Afar and Amhara regions, with the national army and allied Fano fighters clashing with the national army and the TPLF.

Eritrea, a key ally of Ethiopia during the Tigray War, denies backing the groups involved in the fighting.