Mali has accused neighbouring Algeria of being a sponsor and exporter of terrorism after Algeria shot down a Malian drone close to their common border last week.
A strongly worded statement from Mali’s foreign ministry on Sunday challenged Algeria’s earlier explanation that the unmanned surveillance aircraft had violated its airspace.
The statement described the downing of the drone as a “hostile premeditated action”. Algeria has not responded to the accusation.
Mali’s armed forces are fighting ethnic Tuareg separatists in the north. They have a stronghold in the town of Tinzaoutin, which straddles the Mali-Algeria border.
The shooting down of the drone marks a significant escalation of diplomatic tension, as Mali, along with its allies Niger and Burkina Faso, have recalled their ambassadors from Algiers.
Mali has also summoned the Algerian ambassador in Bamako over the incident, declaring that it would file a complaint with “international bodies”. It also withdrew from a regional security grouping that includes Algeria.
