Algeria Expels 12 French Diplomats Over Arrest Dispute
Algeria has expelled 12 French diplomats, giving them 48 hours to leave the country in retaliation for the arrest of an Algerian consular employee in France. The move, announced Monday, deepens a long-standing diplomatic rift between Algiers and Paris and signals a sharp downturn in already tense relations.
Algeria’s Foreign Ministry said the arrest constituted a breach of diplomatic immunity and labeled the French personnel—who include Interior Ministry staff—as “personae non gratae.” France confirmed receipt of the expulsion order, and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot urged Algeria to reverse the decision, warning that Paris was “ready to respond immediately” if the expulsions proceeded.
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The expelled diplomats are linked to a case involving the December 2024 abduction of Amir Boukhras, an Algerian dissident and social media figure known online as “AmirDZ,” who lives in Paris. French authorities reportedly questioned the Algerian consular staffer after his phone was detected near Boukhras’ home. Algeria rejected the accusation, calling the arrest politically motivated and lacking any real evidence.
Algiers summoned French Ambassador Stéphane Romatet over the weekend and called for the consular employee’s immediate release. It also warned that future violations of Algerian sovereignty would provoke reciprocal action.
The incident threatens to unravel recent diplomatic efforts to rebuild trust between the two countries, whose ties remain overshadowed by Algeria’s colonial past under French rule. Tensions have flared in recent years over immigration, regional influence, and France’s support for Morocco in the Western Sahara dispute.
