Algeria has ordered the closure of its airspace to all civilian and military aircraft registered in the United Arab Emirates, marking a sharp escalation in tensions after Algiers formally cut diplomatic relations with Abu Dhabi.
The measure, announced by Algeria's Ministry of Defence, is set to take effect at midnight and will bar UAE-registered aircraft from entering or crossing Algerian airspace.
The restriction applies to both civilian and military aircraft. However, Algerian authorities said commercial passenger flights operating to and from Houari Boumediene International Airport in Algiers will be allowed to continue temporarily under the terms of an existing aviation agreement between the two countries.
Officials stated that those flights will remain operational until the agreement expires at the end of 2026.
The airspace closure follows Algeria's decision to formally end diplomatic relations with the UAE after what it described as a prolonged deterioration in bilateral ties.
In a statement, Algeria's Foreign Ministry said repeated efforts to preserve relations had failed and accused the UAE of pursuing actions that it regarded as increasingly hostile and provocative.
Algerian authorities said they had repeatedly warned Abu Dhabi about the potential consequences of its policies but claimed that those concerns had gone unaddressed.
According to the ministry, the situation had reached a point where maintaining normal diplomatic relations was no longer possible.
The government said all available channels aimed at preventing a rupture had been exhausted before the decision was taken.
Relations between Algeria and the United Arab Emirates have been under strain for several years due to a combination of regional rivalries and foreign policy disagreements.
Algerian leaders have repeatedly criticised Abu Dhabi's role in regional affairs, accusing it of exerting influence in countries such as Libya, Mali and Sudan.
The two governments have also found themselves on opposite sides of key geopolitical issues, notably the Western Sahara dispute, where the UAE backs Morocco's sovereignty claim while Algeria supports the Polisario Front's independence movement.
Tensions were further deepened by the UAE's normalisation of relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords and controversies involving UAE-based media coverage that drew sharp criticism from Algiers.
These accumulated disputes ultimately led Algeria to end diplomatic relations, citing what it described as a pattern of increasingly hostile and provocative behaviour.
The closure of Algerian airspace is expected to affect aviation routes involving UAE carriers and military aircraft operating across North Africa and the Mediterranean region.
While commercial services will continue for several months under existing arrangements, the longer-term future of air links between the two countries remains uncertain.
Analysts say the move represents one of the most significant diplomatic disputes between two major Arab states in recent years.
The UAE responded by expressing regret over Algeria's decision and voiced hope that the diplomatic break would prove temporary.
In a statement, the Emirati Foreign Ministry said the UAE remained committed to maintaining constructive relations with countries around the world and stressed the importance of dialogue, cooperation and mutual understanding.
Abu Dhabi also called for the preservation of what it described as the historic and fraternal ties linking the peoples of the two countries.
The ministry emphasised its respect for the Algerian people and said it would continue supporting relations with Algerian citizens living in or visiting the UAE.
The diplomatic rupture introduces a new period of uncertainty into relations between the two countries, which have traditionally maintained political, economic and commercial links despite occasional disagreements on regional issues.
Neither side has indicated whether mediation efforts could be pursued to restore ties.
Azerbaijan is seeking to attract more European visitors by improving air connectivity and raising its profile as an international tourism des...
Russia says no plague cases have been detected among contacts of a laboratory worker who died in Siberia, with most tests negative for infectious d...
Space-agency chiefs and industry leaders met to discuss lunar exploration, satellite networks and orbital security on Tuesday as a major global spa...
Australian counterterrorism authorities are examining the links of the co-pilot accused of attacking the captain and attempting to take control of a flydubai flight bound for Israel. Authorities in New Zealand have also said they are investigating reports the suspect had spent time in that country.
Right-wing Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro will face leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in a runoff of the presidential election later this month, after he exceeded expectations in Sunday's first-round vote with a slight lead over the incumbent.
Russia says no plague cases have been detected among contacts of a laboratory worker who died in Siberia, with most tests negative for infectious diseases and many quarantined people already released.
Iran's Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad has resigned, with Hamid Bovard, chief executive of the state-owned National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), appointed as acting oil minister, according to Iranian state media.
Candidates elected to Bosnia and Herzegovina's three-member presidency declared victory after preliminary unofficial results showed Denis Becirovic leading the Bosniak seat, Darijana Filipovic ahead in the Croat seat and Zeljka Cvijanovic likely retaining the Serb seat.
Space-agency chiefs and industry leaders met to discuss lunar exploration, satellite networks and orbital security on Tuesday as a major global space congress entered its second day.
Police fired tear gas at protesters blockading French high schools on Tuesday as students, teachers and parents took to the streets on the biggest day of action in a wave of demonstrations against understaffed and dilapidated classrooms.
A large Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow and the surrounding region has killed two people, damaged homes and sparked a major fire at a key fuel facility, according to Russian officials and military bloggers.
Kenya has confirmed its first case of Ebola after a Kenyan citizen who had travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) died in Nairobi, prompting health authorities to launch an urgent contact-tracing operation.
A regional conference on Afghanistan in Moscow ended on Monday without a joint statement after Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban delegation failed to agree on wording about terrorism. It was the first time since the inaugural meeting that participants failed to issue a joint statement.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment