Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have withdrawn their ambassadors from Algeria, alleging that Algerian forces shot down a Malian drone. Algeria confirmed the incident, which Mali labeled an act of aggression. Algeria responded by closing its airspace to Malian aircraft amid rising tensions between the nations.
Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have decided to withdraw their ambassadors from Algeria, citing accusations against Algerian forces for the downing of a Malian reconnaissance drone. This decision was announced in a joint statement following Mali’s claim that Algeria shot down a drone over its territory in late March.
On April 1, Algeria confirmed the downing of an armed reconnaissance drone within its airspace but did not provide specific details on the incident. In a separate communication, Mali’s foreign ministry asserted that they had established “absolute certainty” that the drone was shot down through a “hostile premeditated action by the Algerian regime.”
Mali’s statement described the incident as an “unprecedented act of aggression,” strongly condemning Algeria’s actions as hostile and condescending. It further noted that wreckage of the drone was recovered 9.5 kilometers (six miles) south of the Algerian border and indicated it was shot down using a ground-to-air or air-to-air missile.
In response to the tensions, Algeria did not comment on the withdrawal of the ambassadors but announced the closure of its airspace to all aircraft traveling to or from Mali, citing repeated violations of its airspace as the reason for this decision. The announcement was made by the Algerian defense ministry and effective immediately.
The diplomatic relations between Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Algeria have soured following allegations regarding a downed Malian drone. This situation has resulted in the withdrawal of ambassadors and the closure of Algeria’s airspace to Mali. The events highlight escalating tensions in the region, with Mali condemning Algeria’s actions as aggressive.
Original Source: dailytrust.com
