Algeria blocks flights from Mali after drone shot down

Algeria has closed its airspace to all flights to and from Mali because the row over a drone that was shot down near their frequent border escalates.

On Sunday, Mali accused its northern neighbour of being a sponsor and exporter of terrorism after Algeria attacked one among its drones final week.

A strongly worded assertion from Mali’s overseas ministry challenged Algeria’s earlier clarification that the unmanned surveillance plane had violated its airspace.

The assertion described the downing of the drone as a “hostile premeditated motion”. Algeria described the allegations as “missing in seriousness [and they]… warrant no consideration or response”.

Mali’s armed forces are preventing ethnic Tuareg separatists within the north. They’ve a stronghold within the city of Tinzaoutin, which straddles the Mali-Algeria border.

The capturing down of the drone raised diplomatic tensions, as Mali, together with its allies Niger and Burkina Faso, recalled their ambassadors from Algiers.

Final 12 months, the three junta-led nations shaped a regional bloc, the Alliance of Sahel States, recognized by its French acronym AES.

Of their joint assertion condemning Algeria, they mentioned the capturing down of the drone “prevented the neutralisation of a terrorist group that was planning terrorist acts in opposition to the AES”.

Mali has additionally summoned the Algerian ambassador in Bamako over the incident, declaring that it might file a criticism with “worldwide our bodies”. It additionally withdrew from a regional safety grouping that features Algeria.

In its response on Monday, Algeria mentioned it famous the Malian and AES statements with “deep dismay”. It described Mali’s allegations as an try to divert consideration away from its personal failures.

It additionally mentioned this was the third violation of its airspace in latest months.

“Because of the repeated violations of our airspace by Mali, the Algerian authorities has determined to shut it to air visitors coming from or to Mali, efficient in the present day,” Algeria’s defence ministry mentioned on Monday.

Final Wednesday, Algeria acknowledged that it had shot down an “armed reconnaissance drone” near Tinzaoutin saying it had “penetrated our airspace over a distance of 2km”.

However the junta in Bamako denied that the drone had violated Algeria’s airspace. It mentioned that the plane’s wreckage was discovered 9.5km inside its borders.

Giving extra particulars on Monday, Algeria mentioned that the plane had entered its airspace “then exited earlier than returning on an assault trajectory”.

Mali usually accuses Algeria of giving shelter to Tuareg armed teams.

The north African nation as soon as served as a key mediator throughout greater than a decade of battle between Mali and the separatists. Their relations have soured since 2020 after the navy took energy in Bamako.

Algeria just lately deployed troops alongside its borders to forestall the infiltration of militants and weapons from jihadist teams who function in Mali and different nations in West Africa’s Sahel area.

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