Algeria shuts airspace to Mali amid rising drone row

(MENAFN) Algeria has declared the closure of its airspace to all flights to and from Mali, marking a significant escalation in the diplomatic tensions between the two countries following the recent downing of a drone near their border.

This decision follows Mali's accusation on Sunday that Algeria is involved in supporting and exporting terrorism, which came after Algeria shot down one of Mali's drones last week. Mali's foreign ministry issued a strong rebuttal to Algeria's assertion that the unmanned surveillance aircraft had breached its airspace, labeling the incident a "hostile premeditated action." In turn, Algeria dismissed Mali's claims as "lacking in seriousness [and they]... warrant no attention or response."

These rising tensions occur amid ongoing conflict in northern Mali, where the Malian military is engaged in combat with ethnic Tuareg separatists who have a strong presence in Tinzaoutin, a town near the Algerian border.

The drone incident has already led to diplomatic fallout, with Mali and its allies, Niger and Burkina Faso, recalling their ambassadors from Algiers. These three junta-led nations formed a regional coalition last year called the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). In a collaborative statement condemning Algeria’s action, they noted that the drone's destruction "prevented the neutralisation of a terrorist group that was planning terrorist acts against the AES."

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