France has expelled 12 Algerian diplomatic and consular officials and recalled its ambassador from Algiers, the Élysée Palace confirmed on Tuesday, marking a sharp escalation in diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
In a statement, President Emmanuel Macron’s office blamed Algerian authorities for the “sudden deterioration” of bilateral relations, pointing to their reaction following the detention of an Algerian consular staff member in France.
The move comes after France arrested an official from the Algerian consulate in Créteil, south-east of Paris, in connection with the alleged kidnapping of prominent Algerian opposition figure and influencer Amir Boukhors, also known as “Amir DZ.”
Boukhors, a vocal critic of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, has lived in France since 2016 and was granted political asylum in 2023.
Algeria responded by expelling 12 French diplomats in a retaliatory move, further straining ties between the two nations.
The Algerian government denies any involvement in the abduction.
Boukhors was reportedly kidnapped in April 2024 outside his home in Val-de-Marne, south of Paris. In a televised interview, he described being handcuffed, drugged, and held in a container for over 24 hours by men posing as police officers.
Three suspects were arrested last week and placed under investigation for the “kidnapping and illegal detention” of Boukhors.
One of them was identified as an employee of the Algerian consulate.
Relations between France and Algeria already fragile due to historical grievances and regional rivalries have worsened in recent years.
Macron’s vocal support for Morocco in the Western Sahara dispute further strained ties.
Adding to the diplomatic rift, Macron has also called for the release of Algerian author Boualem Sansal, 75, who was recently sentenced to five years in prison for allegedly “undermining the integrity” of the state.
