Mali closes airspace to all aircraft from Algeria

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) -  Mali on Monday announced the closure of its airspace to all civil and military aircraft flying to or from Algeria with effect from Monday until further notice.

Algeria had earlier announced the closure of its airspace to flights to and from Mali as the diplomatic crisis following the downing by Algeria of a Malian military drone close to their common border escalates. 

The Malian Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure said in a statement that it had learned from a press release of the Algerian Ministry of Defence's on Monday announcing the immediate closure of its airspace to all aircraft flying to and from Mali.

“The Minister of Transport and Infrastructure informs national and international opinion that, due to the Algerian regime's persistent sponsorship of international terrorism, and as a gesture of reciprocity, the country's airspace is closed to all civil and military aircraft flying to or from Algeria from Monday 7 April 2025 until further notice,” the statement said.

The diplomatic crisis between Mali and Algeria has intensified in recent days following the downing of the destruction of the Malian army drone.

Mali withdrew from the Joint Military Staff Committee (CEMOC) and decided to lodge a complaint against Algeria before international bodies.

In addition, the Heads of State of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), made up of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, decided to recall for consultations the ambassadors of member states accredited to Algeria, saying “the destruction of the Malian Armed and Security Forces drone is an aggression targeting all member states of the Confederation”.

The Algerian government also announced its decision to recall its ambassadors to Mali and Niger for consultations, and to postpone the appointment of its new ambassador to Burkina Faso.

-0- PANA TNDD/JSG/BBA/MA 8April2025