Despite France’s call for peace, the dispute between Algeria and France appears to remain deadlocked. Just last week, Russia encouraged Algeria to maintain the pressure on paying for repatriation.
- France and Algeria remain deadlocked in their dispute despite calls for peace.
- France threatened to take action if Algeria goes ahead with plans to expel French diplomats.
- France sided with Morocco against Algeria on the issue of Western Sahara sovereignty, leading to heightened tensions.
Currently, France threatened to take action against Algeria, should the North African country go ahead with plans to expel some of its diplomats.
As seen on Reuters, France on Monday, disclosed that it had gotten wind of Algeria’s intention to expel a dozen of its diplomats from the country.
Algeria on the other hand has made no confirmation of such plans.
“The Algerian authorities are demanding that 12 of our agents leave Algerian territory within 48 hours,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said in a statement.
“If the decision to expel our agents is maintained, we will have no choice but to respond immediately.”
Algeria’s alleged intention is following France’s detention of an Algerian consular agent suspected of involvement in the kidnapping of an Algerian.
In response, Algeria’s Foreign Ministry summoned the French Ambassador to Algiers, Stephane Romatet, to express “strong protest” over the arrest of the Algerian consular in France last week.
The Algerian government is demanding an immediate explanation from France and the release of the agent.
As per France’s report, three persons, including the consular, were under investigation for the arrest of Algerian government opponent Amir Boukhors.
French officials began a high-profile inquiry into the kidnapping of Amir Boukhors, a well-known opponent of the Algerian state, and are focusing on three individuals, including the arrested consulate officer, who are thought to have been involved in the abduction.
The French officials are considering the suspected kidnapping of Boukhors, who is well-known for his outspoken criticism of the Algerian government, as politically motivated.
In a statement denouncing the event, Algeria said that “this new, unacceptable, and unjustified development will severely damage Algerian-French relations” and reiterated its determination to see that the matter is not handled lightly.
Additionally, Algeria called Boukhors “a saboteur linked to terrorist groups.”
France vs Algeria in recent months
France, in July, 2024, sided with Morocco, against Algeria on the matter of its sovereignty over the small Western Sahara country.
This as expected did not bode well with the Algerian side, as they immediately moved to take action against France.
Months later, in August of the same year, Algeria withdrew its ambassador from France, following Paris’s decision to support Morocco’s limited autonomy over Western Sahara under its supervision.
By December 2024, Algeria accused French intelligence services of coordinating “destabilizing activities” within its borders.
To highlight the severity of the allegations, the Algerian foreign ministry summoned Stephane Romatet, the French ambassador to Algeria.
In the same month, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune spoke firmly against the long-term impacts of France’s colonial rule.
