Mali files ICJ case against Algeria over downing of drone near border

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(Reuters) -Mali’s transitional government has filed a case against Algeria at the International Court of Justice, accusing its neighbour of aggression for shooting down a Malian military reconnaissance drone, Mali’s Ministry of Territorial Administration said on Thursday.

Mali said Algeria deliberately shot down its drone along their shared desert border during the night of March 31 to April 1 near Tinzaouaten in Mali’s Kidal region, alleging the downing was intended to hinder operations by Malian forces against armed groups.

“This blatant aggression, which the government strongly denounces and whose aim was to hinder the neutralisation of armed terrorist groups by the Malian Armed and Security Forces, is the culmination of a series of hostile acts and malicious actions, repeatedly denounced by the Malian authorities,” it said in a statement.

Mali described the incident as a hostile act and a violation of the principle of non-use of force and added it had repeatedly asked Algerian authorities to provide evidence that the drone violated Algerian airspace but had received no response.

Algeria’s foreign ministry could not immediately be reached for comment.

Algeria has previously said its forces shot down an armed surveillance drone that violated its airspace near the border.

(Reporting by Mali newsroom, Writing by Ayen Deng Bior, Editing by Nia Williams)