Overview

• Algeria has ordered 12 French embassy agents, linked to the Ministry of the Interior, to leave the country within 48 hours, citing sovereignty.
• The expulsions follow the arrest and detention in France of three Algerian nationals, including a consular agent, accused of involvement in the abduction of opposition influencer Amir DZ.
• French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has warned Algeria of immediate reciprocal actions if the expulsions are upheld.
• This escalation disrupts recent attempts to restore diplomatic relations between the two nations, which had shown signs of improvement earlier in April.
• Algeria attributes the tensions to French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, while France defends the independence of its judiciary in the ongoing legal proceedings.