The destruction of a Malian drone by the Algerian army has sparked a new diplomatic spat between Algiers and Bamako which is also being played out on social media.
But beyond the reciprocal sanctions, the tension is fueling a worrying surge in xenophobic rhetoric online targeting sub-Saharan migrants.
While already tense relations between Mali and Algeria deteriorated sharply following the destruction of a Malian drone by the Algerian air defense system on the night of March 31 to April 1, 2025, this diplomatic crisis quickly spilled over into social media.
Rising tensions have led to the emergence and widespread dissemination of hate speech against sub-Saharan migrants on Algerian social media.
In an already volatile climate, a statement published on X by the Algerian Ministry of Defense formalised the closure of Algerian airspace to all flights to or from Mali, citing “repeated violations”
of its airspace.
This decision made on April 7, 2025, reinforced the prevailing hostility.
In the hours that followed, several influential internet users and pages relayed a wave of xenophobic messages, using hashtags such as “The people demand the expulsion of sub-Saharan migrants” and “Algeria for the Algerians.”
These calls for targeted expulsions, sometimes originating from widely followed accounts, demonstrate the exploitation of geopolitical tensions to fuel internal resentment.
This outpouring of hostile remarks comes at a time when the border incident has triggered a series of diplomatic retaliatory measures: reciprocal closures of airspace, cross-accusations between Algiers and Bamako, and strong support for Mali from members of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
According to a statement from the Algerian Ministry of National Defense, the Malian aircraft shot down in Tinzaouatene may have carried out an “offensive” incursion, the third in less than a year according to Algerian radar data.
Mali, denouncing the downing of the drone as an unjustified act of aggression, accused Algiers of obstructing its counterterrorism operations, a position backed by Burkina Faso and Niger.
Faced with these accusations, Algeria responded by recalling its ambassadors to Mali and Niger, while postponing the installation of a new envoy to Burkina Faso.
The Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the Malian allegations as “false,” accusing the
transitional regime of manipulation.
On the economic front, the closure of airspace has concrete consequences: Air Algerie, which had resumed flights to Bamako in December 2024, has seen its connections suspended.
This blockage affects trade in a region already weakened by diplomatic fissures and security crises.
Amid this tense context, the explosion of hate speech on social media illustrates a worrying phenomenon: the way in which inter-state conflicts can fuel the stigmatisation of vulnerable communities, exacerbating internal divisions and the risks of targeted violence.
SL/ac/Sf/fss/as/APA