Algeria on Monday recalled its ambassador to Mali and closed its airspace to Malian planes amid a diplomatic row over the alleged shooting down of a drone that has heightened tensions between the neighbours.
In response, Mali also closed its airspace to planes going to or from Algeria.
“Due to repeated violations of our airspace by the Malian state, the Algerian government has decided to close air navigation coming from or heading to the Malian state, starting today,” Algeria’s defence ministry said.
Mali’s transport ministry said “in reciprocation” it had closed its airspace to “all civilian and military planes” from Algeria “until further notice”.
Algiers also recalled its ambassador to Niger in a retaliatory move after the two countries along with Burkina Faso withdrew their ambassadors over the drone incident.
The three military-run African allies jointly announced the ambassadors’ recall on Sunday. Mali had accused Algeria of downing one of its drones over its territory last week.
Northern Mali borders Algeria and is the battleground in a separatist rebellion, while jihadist attacks also trouble the nation.
Algeria said on Monday that it regretted “having to apply reciprocity” following the move by the three countries.
As part of the measure, the newly assigned Algerian ambassador to Burkina Faso would delay taking up his duties, Algeria’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
The “false allegations”, coming particularly from Mali, “conceal very imperfectly the search for outlets and diversions from the manifest failure of a putschist project that has locked Mali into a spiral of insecurity, instability, distress and destitution,” it added.
Algeria said on 1 April that it had shot down an armed reconnaissance drone in its airspace, without giving further details.
Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali have formed their own confederation, the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), set up initially as a defence pact in 2023.
