Daily record · 9 Oct 2026
Ethiopia war, 9 Oct 2026: what happened
26 reports on 9 Oct 2026: 12 independently verified, 14 claimed by a party. 2 drone or air strikes, 7 changes of control, 30 people reported killed.
Changes of control
Drone and air strikes
- 9 Oct 20262
Drone strike · Zala Anbesa town, Eastern, Tigray
A drone strike hit armed men travelling in a truck near Zalambessa on the Eritrean border; casualties were not known.
Drone strike · Unknown place
A drone strike near a displacement camp and informal gold mining site in Wad al-Mahi province, near Sudan's border with Ethiopia, killed 30 displaced people; the provincial governor attributed it to the RSF and said it was launched from inside Ethiopia.
All reports of the day
- 9 Oct 202626
Statement · Unknown place
Getachew Reda said Eritrea had moved mechanized battalions into Ethiopia and described the move as an act of war.
Development · Dera town, Arsi, Oromia
Lieutenant General Mohamed Tesema visited deployed military units in Dera woreda and gave them their next mission.
Development · Shire Endaslasie town, North Western, Tigray
ENDF and Tigray Peace Force convoys entered Shire and were seen at Hayelom Square.
Statement · Unknown place
On 9 October 2026, Eritrea’s information minister said Ethiopia’s Foreign Ministry had told the UN Security Council it was taking measures in relation to the conflict with Eritrea, and Eritrea asked the council to condemn Ethiopia.
Control change · Freweyni town, Eastern, Tigray
Ethiopian National Defense Force captured Freweyni.
Control change · Unknown place
AFNM said it captured Jama Dogolo and described it as the eighth town taken from that operational pocket in the past week.
Statement · Unknown place
Ethiopia's Foreign Ministry said it was taking steps to formally begin a war against Eritrea.
Statement · Unknown place
The Ethiopian government outlet said TPLF hardliners and the Tsimdo alignment are driving renewed confrontation that threatens peace in Tigray and Ethiopia.
Statement · Adigrat town, Eastern, Tigray
The Tigray Peace Force said it was moving toward Adigrat with the Ethiopian National Defense Force and that the city was under siege.
Control change · Hawelti Sub City, Mekelle, Tigray
Ethiopian Federal Police entered Mekelle and began security operations, while Tigray Peace Forces were also said to be guarding the city.
Control change · Jama, South Wello, Amhara
Amhara Fano National Movement said Menelik unit and Aba Nadew division attacked Jama woreda and forced government forces out of the woreda.
Statement · Arada Sub City, Region 14, Addis Ababa
Flight tracking shows the same Aerostan Boeing 747-251B(SF) freighter (EX-47002) making a second flight from Al Ain Airport in the UAE to Bole International Airport in Ethiopia on 9 October.
Statement · Unknown place
Three Il-76TD cargo aircraft (Vise Air 7Q-VZZ, Invicta Air TL-ATB and Batot Air XT-ABL) departed Al Ain Airport and Al Reef Airbase in the UAE for East Africa on 9 October, which the monitor assesses were likely heading to Ethiopia.
Control change · Hawzen town, Eastern, Tigray
Footage shows ENDF convoys moving through the centre of Hawzen in Tigray's Eastern Zone (13.98021, 39.43101), which the monitor said confirms the ENDF took control of the town, apparently approaching from the east.
Control change · Shire Endaslasie town, North Western, Tigray
Footage shows ENDF and Tigray Peace Force convoys at Hayelom Square in Shire, the administrative centre of Tigray's Northwestern Zone, after they entered the town on 9 October.
Statement · Unknown place
A second video shows a YIHA-III loitering munition with serial marking S-355 that was reportedly launched by the ENDF and brought down by Fano forces at an unstated location in Ethiopia.
Statement · Unknown place
Video shows a YIHA-III loitering munition that the monitor identified as captured by ENDF troops from TDF/TPLF forces at an unstated location in Ethiopia.
Drone strike · Zala Anbesa town, Eastern, Tigray
A drone strike hit armed men travelling in a truck near Zalambessa on the Eritrean border; casualties were not known.
Statement · Unknown place
Ethiopia's foreign minister called Eritrea's conduct an act of aggression justifying self-defence, while Eritrea's information minister accused Ethiopia of an unprovoked war of aggression.
Shelling · Adigrat town, Eastern, Tigray
An Adigrat resident reported repeated explosions of unclear origin several kilometres outside the town overnight and into Friday morning.
Drone strike · Unknown place
A drone strike near a displacement camp and informal gold mining site in Wad al-Mahi province, near Sudan's border with Ethiopia, killed 30 displaced people; the provincial governor attributed it to the RSF and said it was launched from inside Ethiopia.
Control change · Unknown place
A foreign security source estimated 5,000 to 8,000 Eritrean soldiers were present in Tigray, with various sources confirming their presence.
Statement · Unknown place
Ethiopia accused Eritrea of backing Tigrayan rebels while Eritrea accused Ethiopia of waging an unprovoked war against it.
Statement · Unknown place
Eritrea's Ministry of Information, through Minister Yemane Gebremeskel, rejected Ethiopia's invasion accusation as a pretext for a war Addis Ababa wants to start, and accused the Ethiopian government of threatening force against Eritrea for the past three years.
Statement · Unknown place
TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael said his forces would choose when and where to confront the government.
Statement · Unknown place
Ethiopia and Eritrea each accused the other of starting the war, with Ethiopian officials saying Eritrean forces had pushed about 60 kilometres into northern Tigray and Eritrean officials describing Ethiopia's actions as an unprovoked campaign against it spanning more than three years.