October 2, 2026 — Three explosions were reported in Addis Ababa overnight from September 30 to October 1, hours after Ethiopia banned drone flights over the capital. Ethiopia and Eritrea have now cut diplomatic ties, and fighting that began in Tigray has spread into the Amhara and Afar regions.
What happened
- Blasts in the capital: wire reports describe three explosions in different parts of Addis Ababa. One was near the defence headquarters at about 7 p.m., and another was near a factory after midnight. Authorities have not confirmed the cause, and no casualty figures have been published.
- Drone ban: hours earlier, Ethiopia’s National Intelligence and Security Service banned drone flights over Addis Ababa and the surrounding area.
- Diplomatic break: Ethiopia closed its embassy in Asmara and gave 10 Eritrean diplomats 48 hours to leave. Eritrea then cut all diplomatic ties, Al Jazeera reported on October 1.
- Fighting: Al Jazeera and Africanews report clashes in Tigray, Amhara (around Kobo, Gidan and Sekota) and Afar. Tigrayan forces took the airports at Mekelle, Axum and Shire on September 23. Commercial flights to Tigray are suspended and telecoms are cut across the region.
- Addis Ababa airport: none of the reports we read said Bole International Airport (ADD) had closed or that Ethiopian Airlines’ international flights were disrupted.
Government advice
- United Kingdom: the Foreign Office updated its Ethiopia advice on October 1 with new information on reported attacks on military sites and public gatherings. It advises against all travel to Tigray, Amhara, Gambela and parts of other regions and border areas. It warns that flights to and from northern Ethiopia could be suspended or cancelled at short notice.
- United States and Canada: we could not confirm a change to the US or Canadian advisory levels today. Check travel.state.gov and travel.gc.ca before you go.
- Airspace: Safe Airspace lists an October 2 entry saying a UK airspace warning now covers Tigray, Afar and Amhara, up from Tigray only.
What it means for airline travelers
- Connecting through Addis Ababa: the airport is reported open, but the situation can change fast. Check flight status before each leg and have a backup routing in mind.
- Standby risk: if flights are cut or airspace is restricted, revenue passengers get rebooked first. Non-rev travelers can be stuck for days. Think hard before starting a standby trip through ADD right now.
- Do not travel north: flights to Tigray are suspended, and there is active fighting in Tigray, Amhara and Afar.
- In Addis Ababa: stay away from military and government sites and from crowds. Keep your phone charged and follow local news.
- Register your trip: use STEP (US) or Registration of Canadians Abroad.
- Insurance: many policies exclude war and areas under “do not travel” advice. Read the exclusions before you rely on a policy.
Sources
- AOL (wire report) — Blasts reported in Ethiopian capital hours after government banned drone flights
- Al Jazeera — Eritrea severs diplomatic ties with Ethiopia in tit-for-tat move
- Al Jazeera — How the fighting in Ethiopia spread beyond Tigray, in maps and charts
- Africanews — Ethiopia and Eritrea sever diplomatic ties as Tigray fighting intensifies
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (official) — Ethiopia travel advice
- Safe Airspace — Conflict zone and risk database
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