The U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa warned Americans in Ethiopia to use caution after receiving reports of possible long-range attacks targeting military installations during October. It also urged citizens to check information against multiple reliable sources, citing misleading social media posts about the security situation.
The source reports explosions in and around Addis Ababa, but says it could not verify claims that drones struck buildings in the capital. A coalition of Ethiopian rebel groups has claimed responsibility for attacks and said it used drones, according to the source. Whether the reported incidents involved drone strikes remains unclear.
Claims that Eritrean forces crossed into Ethiopia have also not been independently verified. The source says it reviewed videos that appeared to show military convoys near Adigrat, but those images alone do not establish when or where they were recorded. The Ethiopian government did not respond to a request for comment, the source reported.
Analysts cited by the source warned that the fighting could spread amid tensions over Ethiopia’s pursuit of access to the Red Sea and disputes involving the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Ethiopia became landlocked when Eritrea gained independence in 1993. Egypt and Sudan have opposed the dam, which is built on the Blue Nile.
The U.S. State Department said senior officials had met with or spoken to the foreign ministers of Ethiopia and Eritrea. A department spokesman urged both countries to respect neighboring states’ sovereignty, show restraint and resume dialogue under their 2018 peace framework. The department warned that further tensions could affect the region and threaten U.S. cooperation with both countries.
The accounts of attacks, troop movements and the risk of a wider conflict remain contested or unconfirmed. Analysts’ assessments that regional war is likely are forecasts, not established outcomes.
