Mali files case against Algeria in International Court of Justice

Mali announced on Thursday that it has filed a formal application with the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Algeria of shooting down one of its military drones.

The Malian government said the drone, downed in early April, was still over Malian territory at the time, making the incident a breach of its airspace.

Algeria, however, rejected the claim, citing its defence ministry radar data and asserting that the Malian reconnaissance drone had entered Algerian airspace.

The incident has triggered a diplomatic standoff, with both countries recalling ambassadors and closing airspace to each other.

In a statement, Mali’s territorial administration ministry said it had “submitted an application instituting proceedings against Algeria before the International Court of Justice.” The ministry described the drone’s destruction within Malian territory as “not only an aggression, a hostile act, but also a blatant violation of the principle of non-use of force and an act of aggression.”

“This flagrant aggression is the culmination of a series of hostile acts and clearly demonstrates an unhealthy collusion between terrorists and the Algerian regime,” the statement added.

Tensions between the two neighbours have escalated in recent years, with Mali accusing Algeria of maintaining “proximity to terrorist groups,” especially near the shared border.

In January 2024, Mali’s junta annulled a 2015 peace agreement with separatist groups brokered by Algeria, previously seen as a key step in stabilising the country.