Algeria has closed its airspace to all flights to and from Mali following the downing of a Malian drone near the shared border. The incident, which took place on March 31, 2025, has escalated tensions between the two countries. Algeria swiftly closed its airspace to all Malian flights, citing security concerns. What started as a single drone incident has spiraled into a wider regional crisis.
Drone dispute ignites diplomatic fallout
Algeria claims the Malian drone had violated its airspace by two kilometres before it was destroyed near the border town of Tinzaoutin. Mali disputes this, insisting the drone remained well within its territory. Officials in Bamako say the wreckage was found 10 kilometres inside Mali’s borders, calling the downing a “hostile premeditated action.”
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The fallout has been swift. Mali summoned Algeria’s ambassador and filed a formal protest. Its allies in the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) Burkina Faso and Niger joined the protest, recalling their envoys from Algiers. Together, the AES condemned the drone strike as an act of aggression targeting the entire bloc.
Algeria justifies airspace ban amid escalation
Algeria has defended its response, calling the drone an “armed reconnaissance aircraft” that entered and re-entered Algerian airspace in a threatening manner. The government also revealed this was the third such violation in recent months. As a result, Algeria immediately announced an indefinite closure of its airspace to Malian traffic.
According to Algerian officials, the drone was spotted in a sensitive area near ongoing conflicts involving Tuareg separatists and jihadist groups. Mali, on the other hand, claimed the drone was tracking terrorists threatening the AES region and accused Algeria of disrupting an active counterterrorism operation.
Security concerns deepen across the Sahel
The dispute adds fresh strain to already tense relations in the Sahel, where instability and extremist violence have surged. The stakes are high with Algeria deploying troops along its borders and AES countries coordinating militarily.
Diplomatic ties between Algeria and the AES have now plunged to historic lows, with no sign of compromise. As both sides dig in, the airspace closure underscores a broader breakdown in regional cooperation.