Algeria and Mali Ban Flights After Drone Incident Escalates
Algeria and Mali have officially closed their airspace to each other following a diplomatic clash over a drone incident. On April 7, 2025, Algeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced a ban on all Malian aircraft entering its airspace after an Algerian defense system shot down a Malian uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV). The two nations dispute where the incident occurred.
According to Algerian authorities, the UAV entered Algerian airspace, returned to Mali, and then crossed back into Algeria before being downed 1.6 kilometers north of the border. Algeria claims this is the third such violation since August 2024. However, Mali asserts that the drone was shot down nearly 10 kilometers inside its own territory.
In response, Mali’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport declared a reciprocal ban, closing its airspace to all Algerian civilian and military aircraft. Mali also accused Algeria of supporting international terrorism, further inflaming tensions.
The flight restrictions are expected to have minimal impact on commercial aviation, as there were no regular scheduled flights between Algeria and Mali at the time of the ban. Air Algérie had operated the Algiers-Bamako route intermittently during 2024.
The incident has triggered a broader diplomatic fallout. Algeria has recalled its ambassadors from Mali and Niger and suspended the appointment of a new envoy to Burkina Faso. These three nations—Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso—form the Alliance of Sahel States, a regional bloc formed in 2023. The escalating airspace dispute now adds strain to an already fragile relationship in the region.
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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com