Explosions were heard overnight in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, with blasts reported near the military headquarters in the west of the city and in a southern neighbourhood, according to residents and diplomatic sources.

The explosions occurred hours after drone flights were banned over the capital and one week after fighting erupted in the north of the country between the army and a newly formed alliance of armed groups, including forces from the Tigray region.

A source linked to the opposition fighters told sources they were responsible for what they described as drone strikes.

"It was very loud. It was strong enough to set off car alarms," said a resident in a southern area of the city, near the base of the secret service.

The resident estimated the explosion in the Gotera neighbourhood occurred at around 00:30 local time (21:30 GMT).

Another resident said he and his friends were playing games when they heard an explosion. He lives in the western suburb of Torhayloch, a neighbourhood close to the military headquarters.

There were no official reports confirming the cause of the explosions, the locations affected, or whether there were any casualties or damage.

The office of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the defence ministry, and both federal and Addis Ababa police had not responded to requests for comment at the time of reporting.