Ethiopia and Eritrea have severed all diplomatic ties following unprecedented drone strikes in Addis Ababa on October 1, 2026. Ethiopia ordered the closure of its embassy in Asmara and expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats, prompting Eritrea to reciprocate. The diplomatic rupture follows a major escalation in northern Ethiopia, where federal forces are battling a Tigray People's Liberation Front-led opposition alliance. Tensions are further exacerbated by accusations of foreign interference involving Egypt and Sudan.
Severance of Ethiopia-Eritrea diplomatic ties
- ▪Ethiopia's Foreign Ministry accused Eritrea of direct and indirect acts of hostility and belligerence against Ethiopia to justify Ethiopia's embassy closure in Asmara on October 1, 2026
- ▪Eritrea severed all diplomatic ties with Ethiopia on October 1, 2026, in response to Ethiopia's expulsion of Eritrean diplomats and closure of its embassy
- ▪Ethiopia ordered the closure of its embassy in Asmara, Eritrea, and declared 10 unnamed Eritrean diplomats persona non grata on October 1, 2026, ordering them to leave within 48 hours
- ▪Eritrea accused Ethiopia of pursuing an agenda of incessant hostility, waging war to gain Red Sea access, and hosting, training, and arming Eritrean opposition groups for regime change
Drone strikes in Addis Ababa
- ▪An opposition alliance led by the Tigray People's Liberation Front claimed responsibility for carrying out several drone strikes in Addis Ababa on October 1, 2026
- ▪The Ethiopian national intelligence service banned drone flights over Addis Ababa following the October 1, 2026, drone strikes in the capital
- ▪Explosions caused by drone strikes shook Addis Ababa on October 1, 2026, with reports indicating a strike targeted the Ethiopian National Defence Force headquarters in the Tor Hayloch area
Military clashes in the Afar region
- ▪Pro-government forces recaptured the town of Erbeti in the Afar region after it was initially seized by Tigray People's Liberation Front forces
- ▪The chief administrator of the Afar region, Haji Awol Arba, stated that Eritrean soldiers crossed into Afar to join the Tigray People's Liberation Front-led opposition alliance's offensive
Ethiopia-Egypt diplomatic expulsions
- ▪Ethiopia declared an Egyptian diplomat persona non grata on October 1, 2026, ordering the Egyptian diplomat to leave the country within 48 hours
- ▪Egypt declared an Ethiopian embassy counsellor persona non grata on October 1, 2026, giving the diplomat 48 hours to leave Egypt in a reciprocal move after Ethiopia expelled an Egyptian diplomat
Debatable claims
- ▪Ethiopia's pursuit of Red Sea access is a legitimate national interest
- ▪Ethiopia bears primary responsibility for the escalation of regional tensions
- ▪The TPLF's drone strikes on Addis Ababa are a legitimate military tactic
- ▪Ethiopia's diplomatic break with Eritrea is justified by national security threats
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