Mali, Algeria Restore Diplomatic Ties After Yearlong Rupture

BAMAKO-Mali and Algeria have restored diplomatic relations, reopening their airspace and returning ambassadors to their respective capitals, ending a yearlong dispute that erupted after Algeria shot down a Malian military drone near the two countries’ shared border.

Mali’s military-led government announced late on Friday that it would reinstate the Algerian ambassador in Bamako and reopen its airspace to all civilian and military flights operating to and from Algeria. Algerian media also confirmed the resumption of diplomatic ties.

The breakthrough reverses measures adopted by both governments in April 2025, when they recalled their ambassadors and closed their airspace following the downing of a Malian armed drone. Algeria accused Mali at the time of repeatedly violating its airspace, an allegation Mali denied.

Relations between the neighboring countries had already been deteriorating before the drone incident. Tensions increased after Mali’s military authorities withdrew from the 2015 peace agreement with northern Azawad separatist groups, a deal that had been largely brokered by Algeria.

The collapse of that agreement intensified strains between Bamako and Algiers, with Mali accusing Algeria of supporting separatist and extremist groups operating in the country’s north. Algeria has consistently denied those allegations.

Northern Mali has experienced more than a decade of armed conflict involving separatist movements, Islamist militant organizations and government forces, contributing to prolonged instability across the Sahel region.

In a separate development on Friday, Mali’s armed forces announced that they had broken a blockade around the strategic military base at Anéfis in northern Mali after clashes with fighters from the Azawad Liberation Front.

The military said its operation was supported by the Russian Africa Corps and allied local militias during fighting around the base. No casualty figures were immediately released.

The restoration of diplomatic relations between Mali and Algeria marks a significant easing of tensions between the two neighbors, whose cooperation has long been viewed as important for addressing security challenges and cross-border instability in the Sahel.

The announcement comes as Mali’s military government continues military operations against armed groups while seeking to strengthen regional relationships following a period of strained diplomatic ties with several neighboring countries.