Eritrea cuts ties with Ethiopia over Asmara embassy closure Ethiopia ordered the closure of its embassy in Asmara and expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats. Africa 17 min ago

What you need to know: Ethiopia orders Asmara embassy shut, expels 10 Eritrean diplomats within 48 hoursEritrea severs diplomatic ties with EthiopiaEgypt says action against Ethiopia reciprocalBlasts in capital add to worries over conflict in north EthiopiaOpposition source says drone strikes carried out in AddisAfrican union urges restraint from Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt Ethiopia ordered the closure of its embassy in Eritrea and declared 10 Eritrean diplomats persona non grata on Thursday, prompting Asmara to sever all diplomatic ties with its neighbour after overnight blasts heard in Addis Ababa sparked fears about renewed conflict in northern Ethiopia spreading.

Ethiopia's government also declared an Egyptian diplomat persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country within 48 hours, the state-run Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation and two sources with knowledge of the matter said.

Egypt's state-affiliated Al Qahera News, citing a senior Egyptian source, said Cairo had responded in kind by declaring an Ethiopian embassy counsellor in Egypt persona non grata and giving him 48 hours to leave.