Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso Recall Their Ambassadors from Algiers, Accusing Algeria of Supporting Terrorism

April 6, 2025 will go down as a dark chapter in the history of relations between Algeria and the Sahel states. On this day, the Transitional Government of Mali issued an official communiqué of rare firmness, denouncing a deliberate act of aggression by the Algerian regime: the destruction of a Malian military drone on a security mission near the border area of Tinzawatène in the Kidal region. According to Malian authorities, the drone never crossed into Algerian territory, making any justification for this hostile act entirely void.

A Hostile Act, a Red Line Crossed

Labeling the incident as a premeditated act of aggression, Mali made its position unmistakably clear: this is an unacceptable and unfriendly behavior, one that adds to a long history of provocations by the Algerian regime. Even more gravely, Mali directly accused Algeria of supporting international terrorism by obstructing its counterterrorism operations against armed groups that continue to wreak havoc in the north of the country. This is not the first time such accusations have surfaced. For years, Sahel states have denounced Algeria’s ambiguous stance—publicly promoting peace while harboring shady actors linked to regional instability.

Firm Measures and Diplomatic Rupture

In response to this latest provocation, Mali has taken decisive actions:

• Summoning the Algerian ambassador to formally deliver the government’s official protest;

• Withdrawing from the Joint Staff Committee (CEMOC), a regional security body based in Algeria that is now viewed as entirely discredited;

  

• Filing a formal complaint against Algeria with international institutions for acts of aggression and for threatening the sovereignty of a UN member state.

In an unprecedented display of unity, the three nations of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) – Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso – have jointly announced the immediate recall of their ambassadors from Algiers, denouncing Algeria’s hostile attitude. The AES firmly stated that the downing of the Malian drone is considered an attack on the entire confederal space.

An Increasingly Isolated Algerian Regime

As the AES continues to strengthen its military and economic partnerships—with Russia as a key strategic ally—Algeria finds itself entrenched in a sterile and counterproductive posture of confrontation. By persistently supporting armed separatist groups, sabotaging counterterrorism efforts, and fanning diplomatic tensions, the Algerian military regime has become a major source of instability in the Sahel-Saharan region.

This latest diplomatic crisis only reinforces what many have long suspected: Algeria can no longer credibly claim to be a champion of peace in the region. Its double-dealing has been exposed for all to see. In stark contrast, Morocco—through its constructive diplomacy—continues to propose concrete solutions for connecting the Sahel with the rest of the continent and ensuring regional stability.

The tide is turning in the Sahel. The people and governments of the region now refuse to have their sovereignty and security dictated by an authoritarian regime that has lost all credibility.

Abderrazzak Boussaid / Le7tv