Ethiopia expels 10 Eritrean diplomats and closes embassy in Eritrea

October 1, 2026 at 11:38 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Ethiopia ordered 10 Eritrean diplomats to leave within 48 hours and said it was closing its embassy in Eritrea on Thursday. The move came hours after blasts were heard in Addis Ababa and as fighting continued in Tigray. Eritrea called the decision "astounding" and said it would sever all diplomatic ties with Ethiopia.

Key Facts

Ethiopia ordered 10 Eritrean diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours on Thursday.
Eritrea said it would sever all diplomatic ties with Ethiopia in response.
The TPLF recently took control of Tigray's main airport, leading to a suspension of flights.
The United Nations called for de-escalation and dialogue between the government and seven opposition groups.

Diplomatic Rupture

Ethiopia's Foreign Ministry said the Eritrean diplomats were being expelled for their "involvement in activities that pose a direct threat to Ethiopia's national security". Eritrea called the decision "astounding" and said it had "no option but to reciprocate in kind and sever all diplomatic ties with Ethiopia with all the negative corollaries that this entails". Last week, Ethiopia accused Eritrea of financing rebels in Tigray, who have taken control of several towns in renewed fighting against federal forces.

Security Incidents

An intelligence service official, who was not authorised to speak to the media, said there had been three blasts in three different locations in Addis Ababa overnight, but gave no further details. A diplomatic source, who asked not to be named for safety reasons, said a blast was heard at 7 pm near the defence headquarters, followed by a siren. Residents living near the defence headquarters also said they heard a blast near a factory in the area after midnight. The explosions were reported hours after the National Intelligence and Security Service banned the flying of drones in Addis Ababa and surrounding areas.

Tigray Conflict

In Tigray, the rebel Tigray People's Liberation Front, or TPLF, recently took over the region's main airport, leading to a suspension of flights. The renewed fighting has shattered a 2022 peace agreement that ended a devastating two-year war in Tigray. Residents of the Hitsats camp in northwestern Tigray, home to about 16,000 people who have been living there for six years, said they could hear gunfire from kilometres away on Thursday and feared they could be displaced again. "We hear fighting supported by heavy artillery, and drones hover in the sky every day," one resident told The Associated Press by phone.