This week, Mali’s ruling military junta accused Algeria of interference and supporting terrorist groups, following comments made by Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf regarding Mali’s anti-terrorism strategy. The Malian Foreign Ministry expressed discontent with Algeria’s perceived bias towards Tuareg separatists in northern Mali, accusing the neighboring country of complicity with groups destabilizing Mali and providing them shelter and support. The Tuareg people, indigenous to both Mali and Algeria, have historically sought independence or autonomy for their northern region, Azawad, and their rebellion resurfaced in 2012, complicating the security landscape in the Sahel.
The Malian government’s statement emphasized that decisions regarding Mali’s security are solely within the country’s sovereign rights, asserting its partnership with neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger in the newly-formed Alliance of Sahel States (AES). This alliance plans to withdraw from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) by January 2025, citing the bloc’s perceived subservience to France, and rejected a six-month extension offered by ECOWAS in December.
The conflict in Mali has been exacerbated by the increasing presence of extremist groups in the Sahel, as outlined in reports by the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), which highlighted the collapse of international counterterrorism support and weakening regional leadership. This has led to a resurgence of violence, including the reactivation of the Tuareg rebellion, a development that some attribute to the influx of extremists into northern Mali. Despite claims of improved security in the northern regions by Mali’s junta and its Russian partners, the Tuareg rebellion remains a challenge to stability.
In a further sign of deteriorating relations, Mali announced the termination of the 2015 Algiers Peace Agreement, a deal considered pivotal for stabilizing the country. The agreement, which aimed to bring peace to northern Mali and address Tuareggrievances, had already been undermined by renewed hostilities from Tuareg separatist groups. The decision to abandon the peace deal coincided with the withdrawal of the United Nations peacekeeping mission, Minusma, which had been operating in Mali for a decade. These moves are part of a broader series of actions taken by Mali’s junta since its coup in 2020, which included the termination of Mali’s alliance with France and a pivot toward Russia for military and diplomatic support.
The tensions between Mali and Algeria were further exacerbated by statements from Minister Attaf, who criticized Mali’s attempt to reclassify certain northern separatist groups as terrorist organizations. Attaf emphasized the need for dialogue and negotiations, opposing Mali’s increasingly military-focused strategy. These contrasting approaches—Algeria’s emphasis on dialogue and Mali’s growing reliance on military action—have strained relations, highlighting the deep divisions in how the two countries view the future of northern Mali and the broader conflict in the Sahel.
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Mali’s decision to end the 2015 peace agreement and the rising instability in the region are likely to have long-term consequences. With extremist violence on the rise and the regional security situation deteriorating, the search for lasting peace in Mali remains uncertain. The deepening rift with Algeria adds another layer of complexity, with both countries holding divergent views on how to address the crisis in the north. The situation in Mali continues to be a flashpoint for wider regional instability, with Mali’s growing ties to Russia, Algeria’s support for dialogue, and the presence of extremist groups all contributing to a volatile and unpredictable future for the Sahel.
