France introduced Tuesday it’s expelling 12 Algerian diplomatic officers, a day after Algeria took the identical step in opposition to 12 French officers in a tit-for-tat transfer reflecting rising tensions between the 2 international locations.
Algeria mentioned its determination was prompted by the arrest of an Algerian consular official in France in reference to a kidnapping investigation. However, diplomatic ties have been strained since final summer time, when France shifted its place to assist Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara, a disputed area claimed by the pro-independence Polisario Front, which is backed by Algeria.
Algeria’s Foreign Ministry mentioned it had declared the 12 persona non grata after the arrest in France of an Algerian consular official, a “vile act” it blamed on French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau.
For a long time, ties between France and Algeria have gone via diplomatic upheavals and the recent row comes at a fragile time in relations, underscoring the difficulties in repairing ties.
On Friday, French prosecutors indicted three Algerians, together with a consular official, on suspicion of involvement within the 2024 abduction of an opponent of the Algerian authorities, Amir Boukhors, in a Paris suburb.
The males, who’re additionally being prosecuted for “terrorist” conspiracy, had been positioned in pre-trial detention.
Source: www.dailysabah.com