---
title: "Algeria and Mali ban flights amid diplomatic crisis"
description: "On April 1, Algeria's defence ministry said the army had shot down an armed surveillance drone for violating the North African country's airspace near the rural Saharan commune of Tinzaouaten. Mali disagreed, noting that its drone wreckage was found 9.5 kilometres (5.9 miles) south of their shared border."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Diplomacy"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-04-08-algeria-and-mali-ban-flights-amid-diplomatic-crisis/"
published: "2025-04-08T12:28:38"
updated: "2025-04-08T12:28:40"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 154
---

# Algeria and Mali ban flights amid diplomatic crisis

> On April 1, Algeria's defence ministry said the army had shot down an armed surveillance drone for violating the North African country's airspace near the rural Saharan commune of Tinzaouaten. Mali disagreed, noting that its drone wreckage was found 9.5 kilometres (5.9 miles) south of their shared border.

By Reuters · Published 8 April 2025, 14:28 SAST · Updated 8 April 2025, 14:28 SAST

## Key points
- In a diplomatic game of airspace chicken, Algeria has grounded flights to Mali over alleged incursions, while Mali retaliates by shutting its skies to Algerian planes, all while tossing around accusations of terrorism like confetti at a political parade.
- Algeria's Foreign Ministry reports a 1.6 km airspace violation and bans flights to and from Mali.
- In retaliation, Mali closes its airspace to Algerian aircraft, citing Algeria's alleged support for terrorism.
- Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger recall ambassadors from Algeria, escalating diplomatic tensions.
- The Sahel trio condemns Algeria's actions as "irresponsible," prompting further diplomatic fallout.

## Content

Algeria's Foreign Ministry said on Monday that data related to the incident, including radar images, showed a violation of Algerian airspace of 1.6 km. It said it was banning flights to and from Mali due to recurrent violations of Algerian airspace.

Mali's transport and infrastructure ministry responded by announcing that it had closed its airspace to all Algerian aircraft due to Algeria's "persistence in sponsoring international terrorism" - without providing examples or evidence of such activity.

Mali and its allies Burkina Faso and Niger recalled their [ambassadors](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL2N3QK06T&linkedFromStory=true) from Algeria for consultations over the incident, they said on Sunday. Algeria responded on Monday by recalling its ambassador to Niger and Mali and postponing the start date of its new ambassador in Burkina Faso.

In a joint statement, the three Sahel countries condemned the "irresponsible act by the Algerian regime".

(Reporting by Hatem Maher, Menna Alaa and Tarek Amara; Editing by Richard Chang and Lisa Shumaker)