Malian Prime Minister Abdoulaye Maïga accused Algeria of backing “international terrorism” in his speech to the UN General Assembly, warning that his country “will not stand idly by in the face of aggression.”
“For every bullet fired at us, we will respond in kind; for every insult, we will answer in kind,” he declared, in one of the strongest statements yet against Algeria.
The remarks follow months of accusations from Bamako, which in April claimed Algeria shot down a Malian military drone. Algiers denied the allegation, saying the drone had violated its airspace.
The tensions add to Mali’s ongoing security crisis, as jihadist and criminal groups continue to destabilize vast areas of the north and center since 2012.
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