Algeria has ordered 12 French embassy officials to leave the country within 48 hours, escalating tensions between the two nations just days after both sides took tentative steps toward mending strained diplomatic ties.
French Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, confirmed the expulsion on Monday, describing it as a direct response to the indictment in Paris last week of three Algerian nationals, one of whom is reportedly a consular official, in connection with the 2024 abduction of anti-government social media influencer, Amir Boukhors, also known as Amir DZ.
Boukhors, who has more than one million followers online and was granted asylum in France in 2023, was allegedly kidnapped in the Paris suburbs last April and released a day later.
French media reported that he was abducted by individuals posing as police officers and later found abandoned in a forested area.
The French judiciary has charged the three Algerians with abduction, illegal detention, and suspected links to a terrorist organization.
Algeria has rejected the accusations and denounced the arrest of its consular official, saying the detention was carried out “without notification through the diplomatic channels.”;
The Algerian foreign ministry summoned French Ambassador Stéphane Romatet, on Monday to lodge a formal protest and demand the official’s immediate release.
In a statement, Algerian authorities accused France of acting with political motives, claiming the arrest occurred in a “specific context aimed at stalling efforts to relaunch bilateral relations.”;
Barrot called on Algeria to “abandon these expulsion measures,”; warning that if the decision stands, France “will have no other choice but to respond immediately.”;
Tensions have been building between the two countries in recent years over issues ranging from migration and regional politics to colonial-era grievances.
France’s public backing of Morocco's claim to the disputed Western Sahara led to Algeria recalling its ambassador last year. More recently, the arrest of French-Algerian author Boualem Sansal in Algeria further strained relations.
Despite these setbacks, both sides had recently made diplomatic overtures. French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune spoke by phone in March in what was described as a “frank and friendly exchange.”; Barrot himself visited Algiers on April 6, expressing hope for a “new phase”; in bilateral relations.
