Algeria is more isolated than ever from its Sahelian neighbors. Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso—united under the Confederation of Sahel States—have decided to recall their ambassadors from Algiers in response to the Algerian army's downing of a Malian Akinci drone. A new twist has emerged in the case of the Malian military drone shot down on April 1 near the border town of Tin-Zaouatine. On Sunday evening, the transitional government in Bamako officially accused Algeria of being responsible for the drone's destruction. According to a statement from the Malian army, the wreckage was found «inside Malian territory, 9.5 km south of the Mali-Algeria border». The investigation conducted by Malian military authorities revealed that «contact was lost with the drone when it was 10.2 km south of the Mali-Algeria border. The distance between the point of contact loss and the location where the wreckage was found is 441 meters. Both points are located on Malian national territory», the statement added. In response to Algeria's Ministry of Defense, which had claimed responsibility for shooting down the drone, Mali «asked the Algerian authorities to provide concrete evidence of a violation of their airspace by the Malian reconnaissance drone. For 72 hours, no satisfactory response has been given to the Malian request». Algeria increasingly isolated from its Sahelian neighbors Faced with what it described as «guilty silence», the transitional government in Bamako concluded «with absolute certainty» that the drone «was destroyed in Malian airspace following a premeditated hostile act by the Algerian regime». In response to what it called «yet another provocation by the Algerian regime», Bamako announced the following measures: the summoning of Algeria's ambassador to lodge a formal protest, immediate withdrawal from the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CEMOC)—a body created in 2009 at Algeria's initiative to coordinate anti-terrorism efforts in the Sahel—and the filing of a complaint with international bodies for what it described as acts of aggression. Meanwhile, the College of Heads of State of the Confederation of Sahel States—which brings together Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso—issued a communiqué, sent to Yabiladi, condemning «this irresponsible act by the Algerian regime» and announcing the recall of their ambassadors from Algiers for consultations. The Confederation further described the drone's destruction as «an act of aggression against all member states and a treacherous maneuver aimed at promoting terrorism and destabilizing the region». Relations between Algeria and its Sahelian neighbors have remained tense for several years. Both Mali and Niger have previously summoned the Algerian ambassadors to protest against what they view as Algeria's interference in their internal affairs.
