Mali has accused Algeria of deliberately shooting down one of its military surveillance drones near their shared border, prompting the recall of its ambassador from Algiers, alongside counterparts from Burkina Faso and Niger.
The Malian government said wreckage from the drone was discovered 9.5 kilometers south of the Algerian border after it was downed during the night of March 31 to April 1. In a televised statement on Sunday, Mali’s security minister said the drone was targeted in a “premeditated hostile action” by the Algerian regime.
The three Sahel nations, which have recently strengthened their regional alliance, issued a joint statement condemning what they called an “irresponsible act” by Algeria.
On April 1, Algeria’s Defence Ministry confirmed its military had shot down an “armed surveillance drone” that had breached Algerian airspace near the border town of Tinzaouaten, but gave no further information.
At the time, Mali’s armed forces reported the loss of an unmanned drone during a routine surveillance mission.
