Leaders of the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) are in a counteroffensive mood against Algiers following the recent downing of a Malian army drone by the Algerian military.
The supreme body of the Sahel alliance ordered the immediate recall of ambassadors from its member states stationed in Algeria, signaling a sharp deterioration in relations between the two entities.
In a statement released Sunday evening and signed by Mali junta leader General Assimi Goïta who is the current AES chair, they condemned Algeria’s “irresponsible act.”
Meanwhile the Algerian government has also recalled its own ambassadors from the three AES countries, citing what it called repeated violations of its airspace.
It also denounced “fallacious accusations aimed at masking the failure of Mali’s political transition”.
The diplomatic fissures were sparked by an incident involving a Malian TZ-98D drone, shot down overnight from 31 March to 1 April in the Tinzaouatène area of northern Mali, just 9.5 km from the Algerian border, during a reconnaissance operation targeting armed groups.
For the leaders of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, the event sets a serious security precedent. They lamented that the strike had enabled an identified terrorist group to retreat, undermining a neutralisation effort.
“Eradicating terrorism is an existential fight for the AES,” their statement stressed.
Viewing the incident as an act of provocation, the AES demanded official explanations from Algiers and warned against any recurrence, urging Algeria to “adopt a constructive stance” for regional stability.
International complaint amid security rupture
Beyond recalling ambassadors, Mali’s government summoned Algeria’s ambassador in Bamako to lodge a formal protest.
Mali also announced its withdrawal from the Joint Operational General Staff Committee (CEMOC), a cross-border security mechanism with Algeria based in Tamanrasset.
Bamako is further considering filing a complaint with international courts over “acts of aggression,” reinforcing the AES’s hardline stance.
The incident unfolds amid the growing militarisation of the Sahel region.
In December 2024, AES leaders agreed to establish a unified military operations theater across bloc’s territory, a move that has reshaped regional dynamics and sparked tensions with neighbours, including Algeria.
AC/sf/lb/as/APA