The Malian civil society organization, Malidenw, has claimed that the district governor of the country's capital, Bamako, has refused to authorize a protest rally in front of the Algerian diplomatic mission amid ongoing tensions between the two countries.
Mali and Algeria had previously recalled their ambassadors to the two capitals. The diplomatic row is over the peace process in northern Mali, where Tuareg rebels have been fighting for autonomy for more than a decade.
On December 20, Malian diplomats denounced the Algerian ambassador for "unfriendly acts" and "interference in internal affairs" after meeting with rebel leaders without consulting Malian authorities.
Algiers responded by summoning the Malian ambassador and pointing out that the Algerian diplomat's meetings criticized by Bamako were in fact part of efforts to restore peace on Malian soil. The Algerian Foreign Ministry also urged Mali to join efforts to revive the 2015 peace agreement, which has stalled amid mutual accusations of non-compliance.