The aircraft, identified as a Turkish-made Akinci combat drone, was intercepted on Tuesday, 1 April, as it entered Algerian airspace near Tin Zaouatine. [Getty]
Algeria's military announced on Tuesday that it had shot down an armed drone near the country's southern border with Mali, marking a rare and potentially significant military escalation in tensions between the two neighbours.
The aircraft, identified as a Turkish-made Akinci combat drone, was intercepted on Tuesday, 1 April, as it entered Algerian airspace near Tin Zaouatine, a remote town that has become a stronghold for Tuareg separatists opposing Mali's military government.
The Malian army acknowledged that one of its drones had crashed in the area but did not confirm whether Algerian forces had downed it.
For over a decade, Algeria has played a key role in mediating conflicts between Mali's government and Tuareg rebels, who have been fighting for independence since 2012.
However, relations have soured since a series of military coups in Mali in 2020 and 2021, which saw a junta take control of the country.
Algeria has been increasingly vocal in its criticism of the Malian leadership and its military operations in northern regions long plagued by instability.
Among Algeria's primary concerns is the presence of Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group, now operating under the Africa Corps, who have been assisting Mali's armed forces.
​Mali's government has consistently denied the presence of Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group within its borders.
In 2021, following accusations from 15 Western nations about the deployment of Wagner operatives, Mali's government stated that only Russian military trainers were present in the country as part of a bilateral agreement with Russia.
A year later, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov acknowledged that Wagner Group members were in Mali, working as "instructors."
Algerian officials worry that fighting near the border, particularly in Tin Zaouatine, could spill over.
In July 2024, the area saw intense clashes between Malian forces, backed by Russian fighters, and separatist rebels.
The battle took a heavy toll, with the rebels claiming to have killed 47 Malian soldiers and 84 Russian mercenaries.
At the time, Algeria referred the matter to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), calling for action to halt "mercenary activities" in Mali following the deadly attack near its borders.
The North African state is also concerned about the escalating situation in Libya, its eastern neighbour—another country where Wagner is reportedly active.
Moscow's growing influence in the Sahel has strained its ties with Algiers, one of its last allies in North Africa.
Algeria has been vocal in opposing Moscow's attempts to brand Tuareg political movements as "terrorists," warning that further military action in Mali would only destabilise the region.
"We told our Russian friends that we will not accept the rebranding of Tuareg political movements as terrorist groups to justify further military action in northern Mali," Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf told state media in January.
Algeria has not disclosed who it believes owned the drone it shot down on Monday, leaving room for speculation that it may have belonged to Morocco, Algeria's long-standing regional rival.
However, Moroccan state-aligned media were quick to refute the rumours.
While Malian officials have not confirmed whether the drone in question was the one Algeria claimed to have downed, the crash they acknowledged occurred in the same area cited in the Algerian statement.
Mali said the crash did not cause any casualties.
Unverified footage circulating online appears to show an Akinci drone destroyed near Tin Zaouatine.
Mali has reportedly purchased at least two of these drones from Turkey in the past year, deploying them against both separatist rebels and jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS).
Algeria, home to one of Africa's largest militaries, has long positioned itself as a regional power. However, in recent years, it has lost influence in the Sahel as the new rulers in Mali and other Sahelian states pivot towards new alliances.