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Algeria said Monday that its expulsion of 12 French officials was over the arrest of an Algerian consular official by French authorities in a kidnapping case. The diplomatic relations between the two sides have been deteriorating since last summer.
France said it was expelling 12 Algerian diplomatic officials, a day after Algeria announced the expulsion of the same number of French officials, in escalating tensions between the two countries.
Algeria said Monday that its expulsion of 12 French officials was over the arrest of an Algerian consular official by French authorities in a kidnapping case. The diplomatic relations between the two sides have been deteriorating since last summer.
France shifted its position to support Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara — a disputed territory claimed by the pro-independence Polisario Front, which received support from Algeria. Tensions further peaked in November after Algeria arrested French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, a critic of the government in Algiers. France’s ambassador to Algiers also was being recalled home for consultations, a statement from the French presidential palace said Tuesday.
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The latest surge in acrimony followed a brief easing of tensions about two weeks ago when French President Emmanuel Macron called Algerian counterpart Abdelmadjid Tebboune. French officials said they had agreed to revive bilateral relations.
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