Algeria and Mali have banned flights to and from each other’s airspace amid a diplomatic crisis between the two countries. On April 1, an incident involving a drone sparked tensions, with both sides disagreeing on what happened.
According to Algerian data, the drone violated Algeria’s airspace by 1.6 km. However, Malian authorities claim that their own drone wreckage was found near the border, contradicting the data.
Mali has accused Algeria of sponsoring international terrorism, citing this incident as evidence. This led Mali to close its airspace to all Algerian aircraft and for Malian ambassadors to recall theirs from Algeria.
In response, Algeria recalled its ambassadors from Niger and Mali and postponed the start date of a new ambassador in Burkina Faso. The three Sahel countries also condemned the “irresponsible act” by Algeria’s government in a joint statement.
The incident highlights growing tensions between Algeria and its regional neighbors, particularly over issues of airspace and national security concerns.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/algeria-bars-flights-mali-due-recurrent-violations-air-space-state-tv-says-2025-04-07