THE alliance between Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger withdrew their respective ambassadors from Algeria in response to the downing of a Malian drone last week, the group said on Sunday.

The Alliance of Sahel States, which goes by its French acronym AES, blamed Algeria on social media for the drone’s downing and condemned it as an “irresponsible act” that violated international law.

The act was “contrary to historical relations and fraternal relations between the peoples of the AES confederation and the Algerian people,” the alliance said.

Malian Prime Minister General Abdoulaye Maiga, in a statement on the Malian Foreign Ministry’s social media, denied claims by the Algerian government that the drone had violated Algeria’s air space by over 1.2 miles. 

He claimed that “this action proves, if proof were needed, that the Algerian regime sponsors international terrorism.”

Mali said it has also summoned the Algerian ambassador and will file a complaint with “international bodies” about the incident.

The development comes as tensions are on the rise between Algeria and its southern neighbours, including Mali.

After coming into power, the three AES countries left the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), and created their own security partnership, the Alliance of Sahel States, in September last year.

Algeria has denounced the direction that Mali’s new government has taken and its expanded efforts to quash rebellion in historically volatile parts of northern Mali. 

Afraid of the conflict spilling over the border, Algerian officials have denounced Mali’s use of Russian mercenaries and armed drones near Tin Zaouatine, a border town in the north where the drone was found.

Algeria has one of Africa’s largest militaries and has long considered itself a regional power. 

But military leaders in neighbouring Mali and Niger have distanced themselves as they’ve championed autonomy from France, its former colonial ruler, and sought new global alliances.