Mali and Niger have once again raised serious concerns about Algeria’s alleged involvement in fueling terrorism across the Sahel region. The accusations revolve around Algeria allegedly sheltering, enabling, and indirectly sustaining armed groups that conduct attacks beyond its southern borders.

During a regional security forum held in Dakar, Senegal, officials from Bamako and Niamey avoided explicitly naming Algeria. However, their statements closely mirrored prior claims from Malian authorities, who have repeatedly accused Algiers of serving as a logistical and political rear base for terrorist and separatist factions operating in northern Mali.

The Malian Foreign Minister, Abdoulaye Diop, highlighted the issue in a statement to Reuters, asserting, “Certain neighboring countries are currently harboring terrorist groups, providing them with support, or consistently welcoming hostile forces that target our nation.”

Security experts trace the roots of today’s Sahel terrorism back to the aftermath of Algeria’s civil war in the 1990s. They argue that militant networks, either defeated or displaced within Algeria, regrouped and relocated southward instead of dissolving. Organizations like al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) emerged from Algeria’s Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), which itself split from the Armed Islamic Group—a faction that fought the Algerian government during the country’s “Black Decade.” For years, these groups were led by Algerian nationals who relocated their operations into Mali and across the Sahara under mounting military pressure at home.

Reports have also surfaced suggesting possible collusion between Algerian security services and certain terrorist organizations in the Sahel.

Mali has formally condemned Algeria’s alleged support for terrorism at the United Nations, including in government statements and diplomatic correspondence, particularly following a significant deterioration in bilateral relations last year.

The ongoing tensions stem primarily from northern Mali, where terrorist factions and Tuareg-led armed groups have been in conflict with the Malian state for over a decade. Bamako contends that these groups exploit porous borders and Algeria’s lenient stance toward militants operating along its southern frontier.

In September of the previous year, Mali’s Prime Minister, Abdoulaye Maïga, addressed the United Nations General Assembly, accusing Algeria of shifting from a counterterrorism ally to what he described as an “exporter of terrorism” into the Sahel.

The accusations gained further momentum after Algerian forces shot down a Malian military drone near the border in late March. Bamako interpreted the incident as a deliberate act designed to protect terrorist leaders targeted by Malian military operations.

In response, Mali, along with its allies Niger and Burkina Faso, jointly recalled their ambassadors from Algiers and issued a joint statement accusing Algeria of actively supporting terrorism.

Niger has consistently aligned itself with Mali in disputes involving Algeria. Following the drone incident, Nigerien authorities backed Mali’s diplomatic retaliation and expressed solidarity in opposing Algerian-backed terrorism. Niger’s military leader, General Abdourahamane Tiani, has previously accused multiple foreign governments of sponsoring attacks against Niger, reinforcing Niamey’s support for Bamako in its standoff with Algeria—a country increasingly viewed by Sahel nations as a destabilizing influence.

For now, the dispute over Algeria’s alleged role underscores a growing divide in West African security politics. The region’s military-led governments argue that terrorism cannot be eradicated as long as neighboring states continue to engage in what they perceive as permissive or destabilizing behavior.