Mali has taken Algeria to the International Court of Justice, accusing its northern neighbour of downing a military drone near the frontier town of Tin Zaouatine. Bamako claims the April incident was intended to undermine its campaign against armed groups, while Algiers defends the action as a legitimate response to an airspace violation. The case marks a rare escalation of regional disputes to the world’s highest court.

A Rift Between Former Partners

For years, Algeria played the role of mediator in Mali’s conflict with Tuareg separatists and Islamist fighters. It brokered the 2015 Algiers Accord, a deal meant to stabilize northern Mali. But trust has eroded since Bamako’s 2020 and 2021 coups. Mali’s military rulers have accused Algiers of siding with northern rebels and formally withdrew from the peace framework in early 2024.

The drone incident has turned a political rift into open confrontation. Within days of the downing, the Alliance of Sahel States (Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger) recalled their ambassadors from Algiers. Algeria retaliated by closing its airspace to Malian aircraft.

Fragile Security Across The Sahel

The borderlands around Tin Zaouatine are a flashpoint in the wider Sahel conflict. Mali’s army is battling al-Qaeda and Islamic State affiliates that operate across desert frontiers. Algeria, wary of instability spilling north, has fortified its southern borders and warned against what it calls “recurrent violations” of its sovereignty.

Mali has invested heavily in drones to monitor and strike insurgent groups. But the use of unmanned aircraft close to Algerian territory has heightened tensions, raising questions about how far counterinsurgency campaigns can push against international boundaries.

Realignment Of Alliances

The case also underscores shifting alliances in the region. Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, grouped in the Alliance of Sahel States, have turned away from traditional Western partners and drawn closer to Russia for military support. Algeria, long seen as a regional power and neutral broker, now finds itself increasingly isolated from Sahel capitals.

Analysts warn the dispute could erode already limited cooperation against insurgents. “Neither side has an interest in military escalation,” said one Sahel security expert. “But the breakdown in trust makes joint operations across the Sahara far more difficult.”