Algeria Closes Airspace to Mali After Accusations of Airspace Violations and Drone Incident
Tensions escalate between Algeria, Mali, and regional allies as both sides trade accusations over the downing of a drone and alleged breaches of sovereign airspace.
Watan-Algerian state television reported the closure of Algerian airspace to flights bound for Mali due to the “repeated violations” of Algerian airspace—marking the latest development in the escalating crisis between Algiers and Bamako.
Algeria expressed its “dismay” over the decision by Mali and its allies, Niger and Burkina Faso, to recall their ambassadors from Algiers. In response, Algeria took reciprocal measures following Bamako’s accusation that Algeria had downed a Malian drone in northern Mali near the two countries’ border.
Algeria dismissed the accusations made by Mali’s transitional government as “baseless claims,” asserting that the drone, which was downed at the end of March, did not cross into Algerian airspace.
Algeria emphasized that “all data related to the incident is available in the database of the Algerian Ministry of Defense, including radar images clearly showing the violation of Algerian airspace.”
As a result, Algeria announced it was recalling its ambassadors to Mali and Niger “for consultations” and delaying the appointment of its new ambassador to Burkina Faso, “in line with the principle of reciprocity.” It also expressed “deep regret over the uncalculated alignment of Niger and Burkina Faso with Mali’s unfounded claims.”
Earlier, Algeria’s Ministry of Defense announced that it had shot down an “armed reconnaissance drone” at midnight on April 1 near the border with Mali in the Tinzawaten region, “after it had breached Algerian airspace by two kilometers.” Mali, however, concluded that the drone had been shot down in what it described as a hostile act by Algeria.
