Algeria says expulsion of French diplomats is response to arrest of consular official

Algeria’s decision to expel 12 French diplomats from the country came in response to last week’s arrest of an Algerian consular official by the French security forces, the Foreign Ministry in Algiers said on Monday.

The ministry defended its “sovereign” decision to expel the French diplomats, blaming French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau for his infringement of Algerian sovereignty and the resurgence of the diplomatic crisis between the two countries.

The statement described the arrest of the Algerian consular official on 8 April as “libellous” and “a flagrant violation of diplomatic norms.”

It also held Retailleau responsible for the incident’s effect on bilateral ties, warning that any further infringement of Algeria’s sovereignty will be met with “a firm and appropriate response based on reciprocity.”

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Monday that the Algerian decision to expel the diplomats followed the arrest of three Algerian nationals “suspected of serious offences on French national territory.”

The French minister was referring to the alleged kidnapping of Amir Boukhors, known as “Amir DZ”, a social media influencer critical of Algerian policies, who resides in France.

On Friday, French prosecutors indicted three Algerians, including a consular official, on suspicion of involvement in the April 2024 kidnapping of Boukhors in a Paris suburb.

A previous Algerian Foreign Ministry statement criticised France for ignoring Algeria’s repeated extradition requests for Boukhors, whom it described as “a known criminal.”

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