Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso Withdraw Ambassadors from Algeria Amid Drone Dispute
Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have withdrawn their ambassadors from Algeria, accusing it of shooting down a Malian drone. Algeria confirmed the action but did not provide details. Mali declared the incident as an act of aggression and announced that its drone was struck near the border. Algeria has since closed its airspace to Mali.
Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have collectively decided to withdraw their ambassadors from Algeria, following allegations that Algerian forces shot down a Malian drone. This declaration was made in a joint statement after Mali accused Algeria of this action which purportedly occurred over its territory in late March.
Algeria acknowledged, on April 1, that it had intercepted an armed reconnaissance drone within its airspace, but did not provide additional information. In a separate communication, Mali’s foreign ministry asserted that they had established, with “absolute certainty”, that the drone was taken down through the “hostile premeditated action by the Algerian regime”.
The drone in question was claimed to have crashed 9.5 kilometers (approximately six miles) south of the Algerian border, and was reportedly struck by either a ground-to-air or air-to-air missile. Mali referred to this incident as an “unprecedented act of aggression” and condemned the actions of the Algerian authorities in the strongest terms, characterizing them as hostile and disdainful.
In response to the heightened tensions, Algeria has not commented on the ambassadorial withdrawal but has announced the closure of its airspace to flights from or to Mali. The Algerian defense ministry cited repeated violations of its airspace by the Malian state as the basis for this decision, effective immediately.
The diplomatic rift between Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Algeria has intensified, culminating in the withdrawal of ambassadors due to accusations regarding drone interceptions. Both nations are citing severe breaches of airspace and aggression towards one another. These developments reflect escalating tensions in the region, with possible implications for future diplomatic and military engagements.
Original Source: dailytrust.com
