Mass Protests Erupt Across Sahel and Paris Over Algeria’s Downing of Mali Military Drone

Protests were held across major cities in Mali and beyond on Saturday, as thousands took to the streets to denounce what they call an “act of war” by Algeria following the deliberate shooting of a Malian military drone.

Demonstrations were reported in Bamako, Gao, Tombouctou, Ménaka, Kayes, and as far as Paris, where the Malian diaspora joined the chorus of anger against what protesters describe as years of Algerian interference and duplicity in the Sahel.

The protests, organised under the banner of solidarity within the Confederation of Sahel States (CSS)—comprising Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—were marked by chants, placards, and passionate speeches calling for international scrutiny of Algeria’s role in the region.

The incident in which a Malian drone engaged in counterterrorism operations was reportedly shot down in what authorities in Bamako describe as a deliberate and hostile act by Algerian forces.

In Bamako, crowds gathered outside the Algerian Embassy, waving national flags and banners. Protesters did not mince their words: “State complicit in terrorism,” “military-diplomatic mafia,” and “republic protecting Iyad Ag Ghali” could be read on banners.

Similar messages were passed across the other cities, where protesters accused Algeria of sheltering leaders of armed groups operating in the Sahel, including Iyad Ag Ghali, the head of Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), a jihadist coalition linked to Al-Qaeda.

The Malian transitional government has remained firm in its condemnation of the incident, demanding an international investigation and promising that “no external power will deter Mali from securing its territory.”

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