Ethiopia expels 10 Eritrean diplomats; Eritrea cuts all ties

Ethiopia has closed its embassy in Asmara and ordered 10 Eritrean diplomats to leave within 48 hours, and Eritrea has responded by cutting all diplomatic ties, according to reports published on Thursday 1 October 2026. The rupture comes as heavy fighting has resumed in northern Ethiopia.

Ethiopia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared the 10 diplomats persona non grata, citing what it called "direct and indirect acts of hostility and belligerence" against Ethiopia, according to Addis Insight. Al Jazeera reports that those expelled include the chargé d'affaires and others accredited to the African Union; Addis Insight does not mention this detail.

Eritrea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had "no option but to reciprocate in kind and sever all diplomatic ties with Ethiopia", according to Al Jazeera and France 24. France 24 adds that Ethiopia also expelled an Egyptian diplomat without giving a reason.

Accusations on both sides

Addis Ababa has accused Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt of supporting an opposition alliance led by the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), according to Al Jazeera. Reuters reports that all three deny involvement. Eritrea's foreign ministry says it is Ethiopia that has been pursuing "an agenda of incessant hostility", and accuses Ethiopia of hosting, training and arming Eritrean opposition groups. These are competing claims by governments, and we have not independently verified either side.

Al Jazeera also reports that the chief administrator of the Afar region, Haji Awol Arba, told it that Eritrean soldiers had crossed into Afar to join the alliance's offensive.

The two countries were allies in the 2020–2022 war against the TPLF, according to Middle East Eye and Reuters. Addis Insight says relations had improved significantly after the 2018 peace agreement, which ended years of hostility that followed the 1998–2000 war. Middle East Eye says Addis Ababa has made claims against Eritrea's Red Sea coastline. France 24 quotes Eritrea's statement as accusing Ethiopia of "incessant hostility" against Eritrea "for three years in pursuit of 'the imperative of acquiring sovereign access to the sea'".

Blasts in the capital

The diplomatic moves followed explosions in Addis Ababa overnight. Citizen Digital, citing diplomatic and security sources who spoke to AFP, reports an explosion at the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) headquarters in the Tor Hayloch area between midnight and 1:00am local time. Reuters says three diplomatic sources, speaking anonymously, confirmed the blasts.

Responsibility is unconfirmed. A source linked to the opposition alliance told Reuters that the alliance had carried out several drone strikes in Addis Ababa, including some that targeted the military's headquarters. Reuters says the national intelligence service has banned drones over Addis Ababa. Middle East Eye reports that Ethiopia announced the expulsions after reports of explosions in Addis Ababa, and that Western and regional officials in the city confirmed to it the sound of explosions caused by a drone strike. France 24 says diplomatic and security sources confirmed the blast but could not say who was responsible or give casualty figures. Citizen Digital says the ENDF spokesperson did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment.

Heavy fighting in the north

Citizen Digital says heavy fighting broke out on 23 September between Ethiopian forces and the TPLF. France 24 reports hundreds killed and wounded since heavy fighting resumed last week, with the TPLF launching attacks into neighbouring Afar and Amhara states alongside local militias. Citizen Digital cites a humanitarian source estimating that tens of thousands have fled their homes in Afar, and says communications disruptions are significant. France 24 says the 2020–2022 civil war killed an estimated 600,000 people.

France 24 notes that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is due to be sworn in for a new term on Monday after winning elections in June.

Regional stakes

Middle East Eye says the breakdown could draw in Egypt, Turkey, Somalia and Gulf states. It says Eritrea is aligned with Egypt and Saudi Arabia in supporting the Sudanese Armed Forces, and that one of Ethiopia's staunchest supporters is the UAE.

What happens next

Watch for any official Ethiopian account of the Addis Ababa blasts, the outcome of Monday's swearing-in, and reaction from the African Union and neighbouring states. This story is developing and will be updated.