Algeria closes airspace to Mali after repeated violations
Algeria has closed its airspace and prevented international departures or arrivals from Mali due to rising tensions between the two countries.
According to Africa News on April 8th, a number of Malian aircraft has violated Algeria’s airspace in recent weeks and Algeria has been forced to protect its sovereignty and security in the region.
The Malian government is yet to address the ban.
As recently as April 2nd, the Algerian army shot down an armed reconnaissance drone over Tin Zaouatine, a border town that is a stronghold for the Tuareg separatist group in Mali.
The military junta has repeatedly accused Algeria of supporting the Tuareg separatists, who they brand as “terrorists”.
Tensions have escalated between the two nations as drones sent to monitor the activity of separatist groups in the Sahara desert bordering Algeria have started to enter Algerian territory to the north.
There are fears that the ban will have a detrimental effect on regional travel and trade as the two nations are important players in west and north African trade and politics.
Despite the current situation, Mali and Algeria mediated negotiations between the Malian government and the military junta for over a decade.
But, following coups from the military junta in 2020 and 2021, relations have soured.
Mali has since accused Algeria of “proximity and complicity with terrorists groups that destabilise Mali and to whom it has offered shelter and support”.
Mali followed up their accusation that Algeria was harbouring terrorists at the United Nations in September 2024.
The Tuareg people are indigenous to the Sahara desert.
They around found in the north of Mali and Niger as well as in southern Algeria meaning that they spread across different nation states, leading to tense diplomatic situations such as the one the nations currently find themselves in.
A resolution to the situation is currently unclear and it remains to be seen as to how Mali responds to being banned from airspace in Algeria.
Africa News, Maghrebi
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