Rabat — Burkina Faso’s President Ibrahim Traore sharply criticized the Algerian regime in a recent interview with Russia Today.
Speaking about Algeria’s downing of an Akinci aircraft in Malian airspace, Traore said: “This is a hostile and deliberate act.”
Accusing the Algerian regime of disrespecting international protocols, Traore noted that “no one shoots down an aircraft this way,” adding that “there are protocols and radars that identify every aircraft, leaving no room for error here.”
The incident marks growing tensions between Algeria and some African regional powers, with Burkina Faso’s leader explicitly calling out what he perceives as an intentional hostile action by Algeria.
Traore accused Algeria of blatantly downing the Malian drone after it came closer to their shared borders.
On the night between March 31 and April 1, the Algerian military shot down a Malian Akinci drone. Mali didn’t take the incident lightly and reacted by immediately recalling its ambassador to the North African country.
Following the incident, the Alliance of Sahel States, which includes Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, blamed Algeria on social media, describing its action as an “irresponsible act” that violates international law.
Read also: Drone Shooting: Over 1,000 Malians Protest Algeria’s ‘Act of Aggression’
Algeria considered the unified stance as an “unjustified alignment” of the alliance, expressing “deep regret.”
Mali’s Prime Minister Abdoulaye Maiga said in a statement on the Malian Foreign Ministry’s social media that the North African country’s “action proves if proof were needed, that the Algerian regime sponsors international terrorism.”
For its part, Algeria’s military regime admitted shooting down the drone, claiming it violated its airspace. Maiga denied the Algerian government’s claims.
Amid the escalating diplomatic tensions, Algeria later announced the closure of its airspace to all flights to and from Mali, claiming it needs to protect its airspace from repeated drone incursions from its southern neighbor.
