The diplomatic lull has been short -lived between Algiers and Paris. Algeria defended its “sovereign” decision on Monday evening to expel 12 French agents, bringing the Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau “the whole responsibility” of this renewed tensions.
In a statement, the Algerian Foreign Ministry confirmed that these 12 people, “exercising with the Embassy and consulates of France in Algeria”, had been “sovereignly” declared Persona Non Grata. They have the “obligation to leave the national territory within 48 hours”. The information was confirmed Monday morning by the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot.
Retailleau accused of wanting to “lower” Algeria
Algerian diplomacy indicated that this decision came after “the spectacular and ostentatious arrest, on the public highway, by the services under the supervision of the French Interior Ministry, of an Algerian consular agent”. An “unworthy act”, castigated the ministry, who awarded it to the French Minister of the Interior, believing that he intended to “demean” Algeria.
Bruno Retailleau “carries the whole of the turn of the turn that relations between Algeria and France take when they had just started a phase of decline thanks to the telephone interview” between the Algerian and French presidents, insisted the ministry. He assured that “any other new attacking action by the French Minister of the Interior will receive (IT), on the basis of reciprocity, a firm and adequate response”.
Investigation of the removal of “Amir DZ”
As of Saturday evening, Algiers had expressed “his strong protest” after the placement in detention of his consular agent. Friday, three men, including one employee of one of the consulates of Algeria in France, were indicted in Paris, in particular for arrest, kidnapping, forcible confinement or arbitrary detention, in relation to a terrorist enterprise, according to the National Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT). In this case which concerns the opponent of Algerian power Amir Boukhors, an exiled influencer nicknamed “Amir Dz”, these men are also prosecuted for association of criminal terrorist criminals. They were placed in pre -trial detention.
Our articles on Algeria
The crisis between Paris and Algiers started at the end of July 2024 when Emmanuel Macron provided total support to a plan of autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty for Western Sahara, claimed for fifty years by the separatists of the Polisario supported by Algiers. Algeria had immediately withdrawn its ambassador to Paris. Then the tensions were aggravated by “a series of irritants”, whose migratory question and the arrest of the Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal.
