ALGIERS, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Algeria's Ministry of National Defense on Friday announced the reopening of the country's airspace to Malian aircraft after more than a year of tensions.
The decision permits the full resumption of flights to and from Mali via all international air routes, the ministry said in a statement.
The reopening follows more than a year of strained relations between the two due to a dispute over a downed Malian drone.
Algeria shot down a Malian military drone near their shared border overnight on March 31, 2025, citing airspace violation. The country closed its airspace to Malian flights on April 7, 2025, with both countries subsequently recalling their ambassadors.
In September 2025, Mali filed a complaint against Algeria at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Algiers dismissed it as "baseless," maintaining that the drone had violated its airspace and was lawfully intercepted. ■