Algeria expels French Embassy staff amid diplomatic crisis
Algeria ordered 12 staff members of the French embassy to depart from its territory within 48 hours, aggravating an ongoing diplomatic crisis with France. This development arose following the arrest of three Algerian nationals in France, including a consular official, who were indicted for the alleged kidnapping of Amir Boukhors, an Algerian dissident and TikTok influencer.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot expressed strong disapproval of the expulsion, calling on Algeria to rescind the order. He emphasized the potential for immediate reciprocal actions from France if the situation remains unchanged.
Amir Boukhors, known for his substantial following on TikTok and critique of Algeria's military and corruption, acquired political asylum in France in 2023. He is wanted in Algeria with nine arrest warrants concerning fraud and alleged terrorism, while French courts denied his extradition in 2022.
According to Boukhors’s legal representative, Eric Plouvier, Boukhors was kidnapped near Paris in April 2024 but released the following day. Plouvier contended that Algeria orchestrated the kidnapping with the intent of apprehending him within France and referenced two earlier assaults on Boukhors.
Algeria's Foreign Ministry dismissed the allegations as an “inadmissible judicial cabal” designed to undermine recent efforts to mend bilateral relations. Relations had already deteriorated, particularly after President Emmanuel Macron's support for Morocco’s claims over Western Sahara in July 2024.
Tensions escalated further in November 2024, when Algeria arrested the French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal on national security charges, following controversial remarks made by Sansal about historical territorial disputes linked to French colonialism. Consequently, an Algerian court sentenced him to five years in prison.
Despite recent efforts, including a phone call between President Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune aimed at restoring relations, this incident poses a significant setback to cooperation on pressing matters such as migration and security.
